THE MAYFLYER MARCH/APRIL 2021

Upstream Report This Issue: Barry Witmer, DTU President Upstream Report &

Despite COVID, DTU evolves. Delays in 2021 stream Logo Refresh, Page 1 restoration plans have been offset by work behind the scenes. Catch phrases in the conservation sector include "stream restoration best management practices (BMPs)" and News from the "agriculture BMPs". DTU leadership has been focusing on Stream Banks, Page 2 business BMPs as well as growing our chapter impact. Nursery News, Page 3 As Conservation Co-Chairman, Bob Kutz's article illustrates, the Chapter has come a long way since its founding. The committees and subcommittees under the revised Climbers Run Project,

organization chart are working, and the results are starting to Tree Nursery Flashback,

show thanks to dedicated volunteers and our funders who are Become a Volunteer, helping us make this possible. The election of Page 4 Communications Chair Lydia Martin to the DTU Board of Directors has made the organization exponentially better in Calendar of Events, this area. The updated logo and newsletter are noticeable Announcements, changes. Behind the scenes, Mark Kaiser heads the newly formed Riparian Buffer Subcommittee. He is leading an Officers, Board &

effort to establish a riparian buffer planting, monitoring, and Leadership Team, Page 5 maintenance program to support DTU buffer projects.

Logo Refresh Our DTU logo has a fresh new look! The Trout and Mayfly was updated and we added a stream and river bank to symbolize our dedication to our mission.

THE MAYFLYER PAGE 1 With a strong framework at the committee level and growing leadership team, we are excited to implement new changes to improve our chapter work and engage the Lancaster community DTU we serve. This frees up our Board to focus on its fiduciary and policy making responsibilities and that bodes well for both the helps farmers, present and the sustainable future. With our talented leadership landowners, team now in place, Chapter members and supporters will be kept apprised and are invited to join in the journey. & our community to protect reconnect, restore, & sustain cold water fisheries & News from the Stream Banks watersheds in Lancaster Bob Kutz, Co-Chair DTU Conservation Committee County. Greg Wilson, DTU Conservation Committee Co-Chair, and I made a pact before we started restoring with a simple 9-word statement. Greg said, "You find the money and I will spend it," and this has been our mantra for the past 31 years.

Our Chapter only had 125 members with $325 in our coffers. Lititz Run was so polluted that the PA Fish & Game Commission would not consider stocking it. Greg spearheaded the restoration project to build the devices that helped stop the erosion of the Hess Farm. DTU leveraged our network of partners to support our work. PPL supplied telephone poles, a contractor donated 380 dump trucks loads of rocks that DTU distributed throughout the watershed and local contractors donated backhoes on weekends. Members volunteered time rebuilding the stream banks. Over time Warwick Township and other community stakeholders stepped forward to build upon our early work to improve and restore Lititz Run.

Today, after many years of restoring Lititz Run, water quality has improved to the point that rainbow trout live and spawn in it. Since PA State Rep. Bryan Cutler and Bob Kutz then, we restored approximately 5 miles of stream banks costing Fishing Creek Watershed almost $1 million paid for by generous donations and grants.

THE MAYFLYER PAGE 2 From this humble beginning, DTU has taken on other projects in Lancaster County. Today projects are located from the Turnpike to the State line and from the to beyond Intercourse, PA. Since 1990, DTU has completed 42 sites and raised more than $5 million. And we are not done! There are 13 upcoming stream sites needing restoration. Please check our website, www.donegaltu.org, for a list of projects.

Over the years, DTU as an all-volunteer chapter, has been successful in obtaining grants and funding for our projects. A "special thanks" to our volunteers, without you DTU would not be successful in our work. Through your efforts our Chapter is recognized as one of the most outstanding conservation Barry Witmer and Greg Wilson organizations in Lancaster County. N ursery News Garry Longenecker, DTU Nursery Chair and Sarah Xenophon, PSU Watershed Coordinator Spring is in the air finally! The DTU tree nursery at Millport is waking up this March with deliveries of over 3,000 donated trees/shrubs thanks to the Keystone 10 Million Tree Partnership coordinated by Foundation (CBF). From humble beginnings on this same patch of land, the nursery began in 1987 with a planting of about 1,000 – 1,500 trees to fulfill needs on Lititz Run. Our success comes from years of improving our methods, working with a diverse pool of volunteers, and with local partners. In the last two years, DTU added Penn State University (PSU) Environmental Center in Hummelstown, PA, a new partner that shares similar goals and compliments our DTU mission. As a PSU representative and active DTU member, Sarah Xenophon, has contributed to all aspects of our nursery.

We appreciate her knowledge, enthusiasm for conservation, and hard work! When visiting the nursery take time to say hello and thank her for her contributions.

Nursery management will continue to adapt as we experience successes and failures, and the survival of seedlings planted at stream restoration projects. The nursery is a small piece of our coldwater conservation mission in which our chapter has invested and dedicated time, efforts, and money. Without exceptional DTU volunteers, our PSU partner, and many others the nursery Top: Hugh Wenger, Greg Wilson, Barry Witmer could not exist. THANK YOU! Bottom: Lauren Shaffer, Wayne Martenas, Sarah Xenophon, Monique Dykman, and Kristen Koch

THE MAYFLYER PAGE 3 Tree Nursery Flashback

4 years ago DTU had 2,600 potted trees/shrubs purchased as bare root from various sources. 3 years ago, the nursery included purchased stock and donated stock that overwintered in leaf mulch. Lititz Borough donated leaf mulch for wintering potted stock. 2 years ago, continued use of leaf mulch to hold bare root stock prior to potting and protecting potted stock. 1 year ago, COVID caused conservation projects to stop; due to concerns other organizations donated unused trees and shrubs, heeled in with leaf mulch. In 2021, conservation projects are slowly gaining Climbers Run Project traction; work continues to pot up current and new stock for future projects.

Lancaster Clean Water Partners highlighted DTU's When the DTU nursery is fully planted and bare roots recent Climbers Run Stream Restoration at Scenic heeled in, the nursery will contain over 7,000 native Retreat Home located in Martic Township in the trees and shrubs for projects throughout Lancaster Watershed. County.

TREE NURSERY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

When: March 26th at 9 am -1 pm Where: 861 Ballstown Rd; Lititz (Greg Wilson) What: Cut 1,800 live stakes Tools Needed: Handpruners, wear gloves Reminder: Follow Covid safety guidelines Contact: To sign-up contact Garry at 717- 587-3100, [email protected]

April 4th Highland Presbyterian Youth group is scheduled to plant these live stakes. Become a Volunteer Contact Wayne Boggs, Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected] to sign up to volunteer or join a DTU committee!

THE MAYFLYER PAGE 4 Calendar of Events DTU Officers Barry Witmer, President March [email protected]

10th 7 pm, DTU Board Meeting Bob Kutz, Vice President [email protected]

17th 7 pm, Monthly Program/Speaker: Joy McMaster, Treasurer "Discover the Thrill of Smallmouth Bass [email protected] Fishing in the Susquehanna and " with Brian Shoemaker Dan Van Buskirk, Secretary [email protected] 26th 9 am, Cut Live Stakes for Nursery DTU Board & Leadership Team April Wayne Boggs, Volunteer Coordinator

14th 7 pm, DTU Board Meeting Ned Bushong, Trout in the Classroom

21st 7 pm, Monthly Program/Speaker: Tom Hall, Past President "Explore Fishing in the Wildness of the Bob Kutz, Conservation Co-Chair Chesapeake Bay" with Chris Karwacki Lydia Martin, Communications Chair May Fran McElhinny, Membership Chair 12th 7pm, DTU Board Meeting Bill Nolan, Veterans Service Partnership 19th 7pm, Monthly Program/Speaker: "The Future is Forested!" with Ryan Davis Rick Purnell, Member-at-Large Announcement Hugh Wenger, Programs Chair Greg Wilson, Conservation Co-Chair Due to Covid, DTU's Spring Fundraiser is postponed until fall 2021. Stay tuned! Dan Zimmerman, Member-at-Large

Mike Burcin, Education Chair

Donate to DTU Billy Clauser, Webmaster

Make a donation at: www.donegaltu.org Mark Kaiser, Riparian Buffer Chair Mail check to: Claire Landis, Mayflyer Editor Donegal Trout Unlimited Garry Longenecker, Tree Nursery Chair P.O. Box 8001 Lancaster, PA 17604

Questions: Contact Joy McMaster, [email protected]

THE MAYFLYER PAGE 5 P.O. Box 8001 Lancaster, PA 17604

DTU Mission “To protect, reconnect, restore, and sustain the cold water fisheries and their watersheds in Lancaster County.”

Donegal Trout Unlimited is a nonprofit organization in Lancaster County affiliated with Trout Unlimited National, located at 1300 North 17th Street, Suite 500, Arlington,VA 22209.

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