Preserving the natural beauty and wildness of the Wissahickon Valley for 93 years WINTER 2017 VOLUME 26 • NUMBER 4 Special Pullout Feature on p. 9! STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT 2018-2020 ATC Roundup p. 6 Volunteer Night p. 14 What to See in the p. 17 Wissahickon Photo by Charles Uniatowski A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR hat is Wissahickon Valley Park? This is the question we posed at a public meeting in January of this year, part of a public dialogue 40 W. Evergreen Ave., Suite 108, Philadelphia, PA 19118-3324 W (215) 247-0417 • [email protected] • fow.org that helped us determine what is achievable for FOW’s Strategic Blueprint 2018-2020 (see pullout on pp. 9-12). The mission of Friends of the Wissahickon is to Through this meeting and the entire process of developing preserve the natural beauty and wildness of the the Blueprint, we learned that the Wissahickon is not simply Wissahickon Valley and stimulate public interest therein. a nature preserve, a woodland, a forest, an urban park, or a watershed park. It is all these things and more. OFFICERS Jeff Harbison, President FOW’s Strategic Blueprint 2018-2020 confirms FOW’s Richard Kremnick, Treasurer commitment to preserving all that the Wissahickon is and David Pope, Secretary outlines the work FOW will execute in Wissahickon Valley Park over the next three years. It took more than two years PAST PRESIDENTS Cindy Affleck Charles Dilks for FOW’s Board of Directors and staff to complete the Robert A. Lukens David Pope strategic planning process—an undertaking characterized by John Rollins Edward C. Stainton Photo by Laurie Beck Peterson Robert T. Vance, Jr. Will Whetzel The Blueprint presented in this issue of the BOARD MEMBERS newsletter shares our programmatic approach and takes you Sarah Weidner Asthiemer Louise Johnston Christine Bamberger John Kelly through an abbreviated version of the process Chris Bentley Martha Kennedy Tai-ming Chang Richard Kremnick FOW undertook—the topics and questions we explored—in Stephanie Craighead Fred Magaziner order to arrive at our three areas of strategic priority: Walt Crimm David Pope Emily Daeschler Jean Sachs habitat, infrastructure, and engagement. Alyssa Edwards Janice Sykes-Ross Samuel Finney Garrett Trego Shirley Gracie Robert Vance actively sought community input. We invited comments at a large public meeting, held Jeff Harbison James Walker two focus groups of park stakeholders, and conducted an online survey. We also conducted Nina Hoe Patricia R. West dozens of interviews with park stakeholders and FOW partners. Susan Wilmerding The Blueprint presented in this issue of the newsletter shares our programmatic STAFF approach and takes you through an abbreviated version of the process FOW undertook— Maura McCarthy, Executive Director the topics and questions we explored—in order to arrive at our three areas of strategic Ruffian Tittmann, Deputy Director priority: habitat, infrastructure, and engagement. Audrey Simpson, Business Manager Denise Larrabee, Editor/Writer What you won’t see in the Blueprint is how FOW has reconfigured our Board of Sarah Marley, Outreach Manager Directors and certain committees (development, governance, and budget and finance) to Peg Shaw, Project Manager support our new strategic goals. This means development has become a role shared more Laura Feragen, Publicist broadly across the entire Board of Directors, governance is focusing more strongly on the John Holback, Field Coordinator Christina Anthony, Volunteer Coordinator integration of all directors with our mission and messaging, and budget and finance is Giulia Morrone, Development building revenue streams not only from membership, foundations, and individual donors, and Outreach Coordinator but also from new potential revenue sources. Lorraine Awuku, Development Manager Ashley Velez, Executive Assistant Prior strategic plans at FOW have focused on the growth of the organization. This strategic plan focuses more on the park and how FOW can best care for this unique asset and serve the community. After you have finished reading this issue of FOW’s newsletter, NEWSLETTER we hope you will keep the Strategic Blueprint 2018-2020 and consider how you can be a Denise Larrabee, Editor Moon Design, Layout part of the effort to preserve Wissahickon Valley Park for the next three years and into Published by Bartash Printing, Inc., Phila. the future. Printed on recycled paper. UNITED WAY DONATIONS Friends of the Wissahickon can receive membership/donations through the United Maura McCarthy Way. Our United Way number is 9882. If this is the most convenient way for you to give, Executive Director please do so. Visit fow.org to learn about the benefits of membership in Friends of the Wissahickon. 2 Winter 2017 • Friends of the Wissahickon BRIEFLY NOTED DON’T SAVE MISS THE THE PUBLIC DATE! PROJECT VALLEY TALKS MEETING APRIL 17 MAY 15 Friends of the Wissahickon will host VALLEY GREEN INN a Public Meeting on 6 PM January 24, 2018, to discuss the Sustainable Trails Initiative (STI) and other FOW projects with Guest Speaker Chris Bernhardt, professional trail builder and Principal of Sentieros Consulting. One of the members of the original STI consulting team, he will share his perspectives on the successes and challenges of STI and present a first look at FOW’s ambitious plan to complete the project. Bernhardt has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University and Devil’s Pool (ca. 1900) has worked in many YELLOW TRAIL locations, from China to Switzerland. He focuses CLOSURE HIDDEN HISTORIES on creating projects that are both economically The Yellow Trail from the Blue Stone Bridge Friends of the Wissahickon is celebrating the Chestnut Hill and environmentally to the trailhead near Green Lane/Jannette Conservancy’s 50th Anniversary with Hidden Histories of sustainable, bringing Street is closed through February 28, 2018, the Wissahickon, a joint exhibition of historical photographs to bear an expertise in due to serious safety hazards as a result of demonstrating the long and varied history of Wissahickon land use, transportation, construction work on the Walnut Lane Bridge. Valley Park. The photo exhibit is on view in the hallways advocacy, and public This project is being managed by PennDOT. of FOW’s office (40 W. Evergreen Ave.) through January outreach. Visit fow.org Please heed the informational signage in the 2018. Walk through our watershed’s history and learn about for more information area and avoid the trail at all times during Wissahickon Valley Park’s inspiring past! The gallery will be and updates. this period. More information and a map are open during normal business hours at FOW Headquarters. available at fow.org and other FOW social media outlets. HIKING WITH SEEING GREEN? MAURA THE EXPLORER In the fall, environmental scientists from Temple University and the Academy of Natural Sciences conducted an investigation LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH | 10 AM of the water quality of the Wissahickon Creek. Throughout the month of September, you may have noticed that the creek was Join FOW Executive Director Maura McCarthy for a hike on the a fluorescent green color. The tracer dye used is non-toxic and is last Friday of each month. She will tour a different section of the commonly used in research and other situations (e.g., coloring the Wissahickon during each hike and talk about her park experiences, Chicago River green for St. Patrick’s Day). These water quality as well as point out any recent improvements by FOW. Bring your tests were conducted in consultation with the PA Department of hiking shoes and be ready to share your favorite Wissahickon Environmental Protection and were funded through a grant from stories with her! Registration is recommended. For more the National Science Foundation. information and to register, visit fow.org. Friends of the Wissahickon • Winter 2017 3 VOLUNTEER UPDATE By Christina Anthony, Volunteer Coordinator VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT BRUCE WAGNER How do you volunteer with FOW? I volunteer with FOW mostly by doing the wide variety of Trail Ambassador activities: trail shifts, guided walks, Sunday talks, mentoring, and attending TA meetings, training sessions, planning meetings, and activities. What do you love about Wissahickon Valley Park? I think my favorite thing about the Wissahickon is its naturalistic tranquility, but I am also constantly aware of its unique history. What is one of your favorite DEVIL’S POOL CLEANUP moments while volunteering This workday on marked FOW’s largest cleanup ever in Wissahickon Valley Park! with FOW? We collaborated with United By Blue, REI Conshohocken, and Honeygrow in From maybe 5,000 hours of volunteering, celebration of the International Coastal Cleanup on September 16. it’s impossible to make a selection of one Before emptying into favorite moment. I remember a pair of British the Schuylkill River, the women who just wandered down Rex Avenue, and I Wissahickon Creek runs serendipitously met them at the bridge. We spent an We had 200+ volunteers come out and for 23 miles through hour walking around the area and talking about what’s Montgomery and spend an hour cleaning up the park! there, the history, and comparing our valley to their Philadelphia Counties. parks. I remember a young girl whose bicycle skidded Part of the creek forms out rounding a sharp curve along Forbidden Drive, and the Wissahickon Valley, she ended up with a bleeding knee scrape. I offered a National Natural Landmark and part of the Philadelphia park system. The alcohol wipes and a Band Aid; she felt so much better. Wissahickon Creek is a treasure to many Philadelphians and visitors to the area I have seen several large birds close up and marveled who are searching for an escape to nature. It also provides recreation for hiking, at their beauty, and each guided walk presents a new biking, and fishing. Devil’s Pool, a popular destination within the park, attracts complex group of people to guide, entertain, educate, swimmers and picnickers.