Spring 2014 • Volume 23 • Number 1

Celebrating 90 Years—Countless Friends PRESERVING THE NATURAL BEAUTY AND WILDNESS OF THE WISSAHICKON VALLEY FOR NINETY YEARS. SPRING 2014 • VOLUME 23 • NUMBER 1

Photo Credits: Chestnut Hill Historical Society; Eileen Tonkinson; Wissahickon Environmental Center. 1 A MESSAGE from the President

his year we celebrate our 90th Anniversary at Friends of the 8708 Germantown Avenue Wissahickon, founded in 1924 when the community came Philadelphia, PA 19118-2717 Phone: (215) 247-0417 together to restore the park after a winter storm destroyed over T E-mail: [email protected] 200 trees. At that time, volunteers worked together to raise funds to Website: www.fow.org purchase 14,000 native trees, as well as shrubs and wildflowers, for Wissahickon Valley Park, many of which may still be thriving in the The mission of the Friends of the Wissahickon park today. This group represents the first of countless volunteers, is to preserve the natural beauty and members, and supporters FOW had the great fortune to work with wildness of the Wissahickon Valley and over the past 90 years. stimulate public interest therein. Our 90th Anniversary celebrates the work completed during Officers the first decade of FOW and is an opportunity to reflect on how John Rollins, President that legacy continues through our current programs, such as the Bettina Hoerlin, Vice President, Advocacy Sustainable Trails Initiative. From 1924 to 1934, FOW members and volunteers did much to Will Whetzel, Vice President, Governance preserve the park and create a special place for the community, including the restoration of Valley Jeff Harbison, Treasurer Green Inn. But our work went well beyond the preservation of Valley Green, and FOW established Liz Werthan, Secretary the basic principles on which we operate today, setting the stage for all the projects we are currently pursuing: preserving the forest; encouraging safe and appropriate use of the park; and past PresidentS improving water quality. Cindy Affleck Charles Dilks Robert A. Lukens david Pope Edward C. Stainton robert Vance Our 90th Anniversary celebrates the work completed during the Board Members Chris Bentley Louise Johnston first decade of FOW and is an opportunity to reflect on how that Christine Bamberger Courtney Kapp Melen Boothby John Kelly legacy continues through our current programs, Richard P. Brown, Jr. Martha Kennedy such as the Sustainable Trails Initiative. Stephanie Craighead Richard Kremnick Emily Daeschler Charles Lee, Jr. David Dannenberg Jerome Maddox Daphne Lynch Fifield Chris McCausland As we celebrate 90 years of working with the community, FOW will be increasing our efforts Sam Finney John Meigs to mobilize the public to preserve the Wissahickon for the future. The preservation of the Shirley Gracie Liz Pearson Wissahickon requires FOW to improve our stewardship in the valley and make it a sustainable Heidi Grunwald David Pope recreation resource for all park users. We need you! There are many ways to help FOW preserve Jeff Harbison John Rollins the Wissahickon with FOW: become a member; make a donation; become a TrailA mbassador or Robert Harries Liz Werthan Crew Leader; volunteer at one of our workdays; or join us at one of our special 90thA nniversary David Hilton Will Whetzel events, such as the Birding Hike on May 10, FOW’s Forbidden 10K on May 18, the FamilyP icnic on Bettina Hoerlin July 12, or the Celebration on October 25 at Valley Green Inn. STAFF No other spot in the Wissahickon is as well known or loved as Valley Green Inn, and for many Maura McCarthy, Executive Director years the Inn and the surrounding area were a focal point of FOW’s efforts. (See “Looking Back Ruffian Tittmann, Development Director with FOW” on p. 10.) This year, the Inn will be the focus of our 90thA nniversary Celebration, and Audrey Simpson, Business Manager FOW will be making improvements to the Inn facilities throughout 2014. These improvements Denise Larrabee, Editor will be showcased at our 90th Anniversary Celebration in October. We hope you will join us in Zane Magnuson, Development/Operations celebrating our 90th Anniversary and preserving the Wissahickon as a member or volunteer, and Coordinator Sarah Marley, Outreach Manager include yourself among FOW’s countless friends. Henry Stroud, Project Manager Eric Falk, Volunteer Coordinator Erin Mooney, Publicist Newsletter Denise Larrabee, Editor Dena Sher, Associate Editor Sarah West, Listings Editor Wissahickon Calendar 2014 Still Available Moon Design, Layout There is still time to purchase a New Published by Princeton Packet, Princeton, NJ Wissahickon Calendar for 2014, or get one FREE by becoming a new member. Printed on recycled paper. Non-members can purchase the calendar for $12 at www.fow.org. Each month features a photo of the Wissahickon and United Way Donations an interesting fact about the park or The Friends of the Wissahickon can receive an important safety tip. Upcoming FOW membership/donations through the United Way. events are noted on the calendar so you Our United Way number is 9882. If this is the most won’t miss any of our 90th Anniversary convenient way for you to give, please do so. Visit our Celebration events! website (www.fow.org) to learn about the benefits of Larry Goldfarb membership in the Friends of the Wissahickon.

2 Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 2 One Man’s Trash

by Bradley Maule

s someone who’s lived here for the better part of the past 15 years, my greatest complaint about Philadelphia has always, always been the litter. It seems there’s no escaping this Aquality-of-life problem, unfortunately, even deep within the wooded seclusion of the Wissahickon. So as a matter of doing my part, and as a way to get to know the park intimately, I’ve devoted 2014 to picking up that problematic litter. With the One Man’s Trash project, I plan on getting out for Wissahickon hikes at least once a week, every week, in every corner of the park, and collecting each piece of litter I encounter. If it’s too large or too disgusting, I’ll make a note of it for future retrieval. Then, with each week’s haul, I’ll sort it by type—plastic, metal, glass, clothing, etc.—then catalog it in a database, and store it in bins for the full year. ANNIVERSARY Finally, in early 2015, in a presentation and venue to be determined, I’ll present my findings, data, photos, and maps of the entire project. (The photos won’t only be of litter, but of the wonderful EVENTS vistas, bridges, buildings, geology, flora, fauna, and so forth within the park.) Bookmarkphillyskyline. Join FOW as we celebrate our 90th Anniversary com/onemanstrash to follow along and see weekly reports and photos. with special events throughout 2014. For 90 years Bradley Maule is the founder and editor of PhillySkyline.com and is a co-editor of FOW has worked with you to preserve the park and HiddenCityPhila.org. He grew up in the woods of Tyrone, Pennsylvania, spent many of his its history, all for the benefit of the environment Shippensburg University days on the Appalachian Trail, and explored the reaches of the Pacific and the community. We are excited to work Northwest at every chance during his three years in Portland, Oregon. But Philly is now his home, with you in the coming year and look forward and he lives in Mt. Airy and is training to be an FOW Trail Ambassador. to celebrating our joint efforts with you at these special Anniversary events! Birding Hike with Ruth Pfeffer Saturday, May 10 • 8 – 11 am Meet at the intersection of Bell’s Mill Road and Forbidden Drive Join us for a special birding hike to kick off our year-long 90th Anniversary Celebration. Ruth Pfeffer is an expert birder, photographer, and owner of Birding with Ruth. She has been leading birding expeditions in the U.S. and abroad since the 1990s. Bring binoculars, camera, and a bird book, if you have one. FOW’s Forbidden 10K Sunday, May 18 • 9 am Park, Start, and Finish at Northwestern Ave. and Forbidden Drive A 10K/6.2 mile loop along Forbidden Drive $40 per runner/$50 beginning May 1 Registration begins at 8 am on race day or during packet pickup only if space is available Bradley Maule’s haul from week 2, bagged up and ready to be sorted. Photo courtesy of Bradley Maule All entrants will receive a race packet, t-shirt and goody bag. Awards will be given for the top male and female runners in various age groups. This race will be chip-timed by Bryn Mawr Running Co. It’s Spring—Avoid Muddy Trails Family Picnic t’s Mud Season in Wissahickon Valley Park, and FOW is urging park users to refrain Saturday, July 12 • 3 to 8 pm from biking, hiking, or horseback riding on muddy trails. Use Forbidden Drive Music, Food, and Fun! Iinstead, or risk getting very dirty. Old-fashioned picnic games Spring is when trails are most vulnerable to erosion and long-term damage. As Live Music frost thaws, it releases water. During this period it is important to leave the soil Environmental Activities for Families undisturbed so it can mix with organic leaves and other organic matter and dry out naturally into trail dirt. If disturbed while muddy, the soil will be washed away leaving exposed 90th Anniversary Celebration rocks and roots. Saturday, October 25 According to Project Manager Henry Stroud, all the upper trails can become muddy in the spring Valley Green Inn and are highly susceptible to damage. When coming upon a muddy trail, FOW advises park users to ride or hike through it, rather than around it, which widens the trail and encroaches on plant and Registration required for all events at www.fow.org. animal habitats near the trail. Park users can also consult the Map of the Wissahickon Valley Park For more information, contact Outreach Manager Sarah Marley for alternative trails. Maps are available from FOW at http://fow.org/about-park/maps. at [email protected] or 215-247-0417 x109.

Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 3 VOLUNTEERHIGHLIGHTS by Eric Falk, Volunteer Coordinator Ready, Willing & Able Improve FOW Honors its Forbidden Drive Volunteers f anyone has walked he Friends of the Wissahickon down Forbidden celebrated over 8,000 work IDrive lately and seen Thours contributed by volunteers a group of men clad in in 2013 and awarded Sarah West the blue, diligently working Volunteer of the Year Award at the and smiling emphatically, annual Volunteer Recognition Night you have encountered the at Valley Green Inn on December crew from Ready, Willing 19, 2013. West is a long-time FOW & Able (RWA). During member, former FOW Board Member, Volunteer of the year Sarah West (center) with the past few months, and a current Trail Ambassador. Outreach Manager Sarah Marley (left) and Executive RWA has been recovering “The growth and popularity of Director Maura McCarthy (right) and reshaping the drain FOW’s Trail Ambassador hikes and talks that runs alongside is due in large part to her dedication,” Forbidden Drive, which said Outreach Manager Sarah Marley. acts as a catchment for “Sarah West was nominated by her water running down peers for tirelessly contributing her time the hillside. Controlling the Dennis Carter, Antone Person, and Duane Johnson from RWA and expertise to FOW and the park, and flow of water in this area is for serving as an inspiration and mentor essential to reduce erosion to her fellow volunteers.” and the buildup of ice during the winter. RWA has also worked on a handful of other Sarah West was presented with a projects, including tree planting and invasive plant removal. hand-carved hiking stick, created by FOW has seen firsthand the benefits of RWA for the people local artisan Isaac Maefield from locally- who work on its crews, from the quality of their work to their sourced wood. Maefield incorporated FOW volunteers Lisa Stout and Rita Bowes modeling commitment to the job. FOW is happy to have them working Wissahickon schist into its design their headlamps, this year’s volunteer gift. with us in the park. especially for West, who leads geology hikes in the Wissahickon as a Trail Ambassador. She developed her SAVE THE DATE! expertise in geology while teaching science at the secondary and college National Trails Day level for 40 years, 25 of those years at June 7, 2014 Germantown Friends School. FOW volunteers serve on various Visit www.fow.org for more details committees, participate in workdays in the park, or serve as Trail Ambassadors or Crew Leaders. These hardworking individuals help build structures in the park, repair trails, assist with fundraising, write for the newsletter, FOW volunteers Steve Thomas, Chuck Uniatowski, and patrol the park, lead hikes, and Yelena Pelimskaya. countless other tasks.

Thinking about becoming a Crew Leader? Find out more on p. 8 C ontact Volunteer Coordinator Eric Falk at [email protected] Over 50 Volunteers Come Out for MLK Day

he first workday of the year was a huge success! Our Martin Luther King Day of Service was attended by more than 50 dedicated individuals. One day before the big snowstorm, volunteers were fortunate Tto have fairly mild weather, which provided perfect working conditions for the day. The group started at Historic RittenhouseTown and removed debris from alongside the Lincoln Drive Trail and within the Monoshone Creek area. Volunteers continued along the Wissahickon Creek, removing debris and making a valiant effort to remove an old tire from the middle of the stream. A few volunteers made it to the SEPTA Transfer Station at Ridge Avenue, where the amount of trash was too overwhelming to tackle; they decided to live and fight another day. When all was said and done, FOW volunteers removed almost 40 bags of trash, several large car parts, and some heavy pieces of crunched guardrail.

Rory Erlich got lucky on MLK Day and found a dollar amidst all the trash he and his father, Mike, collected along the creek near Lincoln Drive.

4 Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 KEEPING UP With the TRAIL AMBASSADORS TRAILAMBASSADORWALKS Registration is recommended for all hikes (required if indicated) so that participants can be informed of weather or other emergency cancellations. Unless otherwise specified, Trail Ambassador Walks may be on rocky, rugged trails that may be wet and slippery. Wear sturdy shoes or boots with socks. Long pants are recommended for protection against occasional poison ivy and possible ticks. Bring water and a snack if desired. Unless otherwise noted, children over six are welcome if accompanied by a responsible adult. Walks are cancelled in heavy rain or icy conditions. & For more information or to register, contact Sarah Marley at [email protected]. Visit www.fow.org for updates. Meanderings in the Wissahickon with Shelly Brick Lower Forbidden Drive with Sarah West Geology Hike with Sarah West Saturday, March 29 • 2 pm Saturday April 19 • 2 pm Saturday, May 17 • 3 pm Q A Meet at Kitchen’s Lane parking lot off Wissahickon Ave. Meet at the small parking lot where Forbidden Drive meets Meet at Valley Green Inn. Length: 1.5 miles along a rough, steep Sunday, April 20 • 2 pm Lincoln Drive, a short distance downstream from Rittenhouse trail on the east side of the creek, upstream from Valley Green. It Meet at intersection of Wayne Ave. and Allen’s Lane. Town. Duration: 1.75 hours. Distance: 1 mile along lower can be slippery or muddy in places. Duration: 1.75 hours. We will Forbidden Drive on level ground as far as Walnut Lane Bridge. discuss the likely formation of Wissahickon rocks as the result of Saturday, May 10 • 2 pm We will see: two historical sites connected to the Revolutionary plate tectonics and identify several different rock types. This hike Meet at Chestnut Hill Ave. entrance to the park at Seminole St. War era, including the Henry Rittenhouse mill foundation, the is suitable for children over 10 accompanied by a responsible Saturday, June 7• 3 pm Blue Stone Bridge, and the foundation of the Lotus Inn. We will adult. Meet at Rex Ave. entrance to the park. discuss the history of the Wissahickon Turnpike, Forbidden Drive, Invasive and Native Plant Safari Michael Kopena Enjoy our park and “talk story,” a Hawaiian tradition. Pace will and the construction of the Walnut Lane Bridge. be set by the group. Wear sturdy footwear and bring water. Saturday, May 24 • 1 pm Wildflower Walk with Susan and Donald Simon Meet at Kitchen’s Lane. Difficulty: Moderate. Duration: 1.5 hours. Trails Less Traveled III: Bushwhacking on the Saturday April 26 • 10 am See firsthand the effects of aggressive alien monocultures. Learn Andorra Plateau with Gerry Schweiger Meet at Valley Green Inn. Wear footwear suitable for hiking. about the dangers of decreased biodiversity in our ecosystems Sunday March 30 • 1 pm Duration: 2-3 hours. Bring a wildflower guide if you wish. and discover the origins of some of the valley’s most tenacious Meet in parking area at Northwestern Ave. on the Chestnut Hill invaders. Meet some of our treasured native species. Find out Identifying and Drawing Wildflowers side of the park. Look for the gray Toyota Corolla. The Andorra what you can do in your own garden to create beautiful native in Nature with Lisa Kolker plateau contains the Andorra Natural Area with many well worn habitats. Sturdy comfortable footwear recommended. Return to Sunday, April 27 • 10 am - Meet at the Cedars House trails, but it also contains the abandoned Bell’s Mill Trail. We Kitchen’s Lane expected around 2:30 pm. will climb the plateau, hike to the fenced exclosure, and skirt Saturday, May 17 • 10 am - Meet at the Valley Green Inn that to the beginnings of the Old Bell’s Mill Trail. We will finish Kid-Friendly Hike to Prominent Wissahickon Sites Sunday, June 8 • 10 am - Meet at the Cedars House by re-climbing and crossing the plateau to our starting point. with Marv Schwartz NOTE: There are lots of briers, brambles, fallen trees, and scree; Duration: 2 hours. Join Lisa Kolker and guest artist Meri Adelman Saturday, June 7 • 1 pm hikers should wear leather gloves or similar thorn-resistant sturdy on a leisurely walk and discover which wildflowers are in bloom. Meet at the Valley Green Inn. This family-friendly hike will take gloves. We will stop periodically and learn how to draw what we see. in many of the most interesting Wissahickon sites. Duration: 2 Children 12 or older are welcome with a responsible adult. Easy hours. We will hike along Forbidden Drive and visit the Livezey A Bird Walk with Mary Phalan moderate walking. Bring a sketch book or paper, clip board, Dam and Gorgas Creek cave. Crossing the Mt. Airy Bridge, Saturday, April 5 • 9 am a drawing implement, and a cushion to sit on (optional). Wear we will hike the hillside trail upstream and pass through the Meet at stone tables where Forbidden Drive crosses Bell’s comfortable shoes. Fingerspan Bridge. We will enjoy our snacks and continue on to Mill Rd. Duration: 2 hours. We will hike along Forbidden Drive The Power of Geology with Scott Quitel Devil’s Pool and Pee Wee Rock on our return to the Inn. Hiking listening and looking for spring birds. Bring binoculars and a Saturday, May 10 • 9 am shoes or sneakers are required for this hike of moderate difficulty bird book if you have one. Children 12 and over, who enjoy on some rocky trails. bird walks, are welcome with a supervising adult. Bird watching Meet near the Battle of Germantown Tablet, in the parking area requires slow and silent walking. Rain will cancel hike. where Forbidden and Lincoln Drives meet. After flowing south Escape to the Wissahickon and Take a Breather for about 5 miles, the Wissahickon Creek takes a sharp turn with Michael Kopena Trails Less Traveled II: The Cresheim Valley South to the west, near where Monoshone Creek comes in, and then Friday, June 13 • 6 pm Trails with Gerry Schweiger continues west to its confluence with the Schuylkill. Why? Much Meet at Cedars House, Northwestern Ave. and Forbidden Drive. Sunday April 6 • 1 pm of the answer has to do with the surrounding rock. This hike Difficulty: Easy. Duration: 1.5 hours. Discover soothing relief and Meet at intersection of Huron Ave. and St. Martin’s Lane (parking will focus on a noteworthy large rock formation that preserves respite in quiet glades of the Andorra Natural Area. Take time to available) on Chestnut Hill side of Cresheim Creek, which millions of years of geologic history. Difficulty: mildly strenuous. unwind and take in the sensory feast our woods and meadows is accessible from Mermaid Lane (7500 St. Martin’s Lane, have to offer. Practice simple breath and meditation exercises Philadelphia, 19118). Storms and lack of maintenance funds great for relaxation and stress management every day. We will have limited main trail usage on the north side trail of Cresheim spend some time sitting so bring a mat, blanket, or cushion if you Creek. But there are actually several trails at different levels wish. Sturdy, comfortable footwear recommended. covering the hillside along the south (Mt. Airy) side of the Creek. FOW & WVWA —

We will hike two of these less-used trails and visit Climber’s Rock. NOTE: These trails cross several steep draws/ravines. Training Together Spring Awakening in the Park with Scott Quitel Saturday, April 12 • 9 am Meet at Bell’s Mill Rd. and Forbidden Drive. Hike some mildly rigorous trails in search of tulip poplar flowers, trout lily, bloodroot, FOW’s new class of Trail Ambassadors spring beauty, and other spring ephemerals. Smell the fresh (TAs) is completing some of their training spicebush. Pass by lush skunk cabbage wetlands. Listen for with Trail Stewards from the Wissahickon toads, bullfrogs, snakes, redback salamanders, and other critters. Valley Watershed Association. Together, Cross and be sprayed by frothy brooks. Experience the park these volunteers have covered several springing to life. Bring your senses. Wissahickon-related topics: geology, history, Everyone Lives in a Watershed with Peg Shaw and current FOW projects. This year’s winter Sunday April 13 • 10 am Trail Ambassador class is 13 strong and Meet at Bell’s Mill Rd. and Forbidden Drive. Join us on this 3 includes: Katherine Bevans; Amanda Childs; hour hike thorough exploration of the Bell’s Mill watershed to John Deckop; Mark Denys; Alissa Eberle; discuss the ecology of this critical landscape and what we can James Kohler; Erica Lynes; Bradley Maule; do to restore them. Distance: 2+ miles over rugged terrain and John McAdams; Sally Nista; Mary Rooney; neighborhood streets without sidewalks. Wear hiking shoes and Kris Soffa; and Anthony Woods. pants, and bring water and a snack. Feel free to bring cameras, identification books, binoculars, field notebooks, and backpacks.

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SE LANE LANE OU USE H HO L OO OL H HO SC SC Locations on Map are approximate.

Creek Clean Up and Talkin’ Trash Picnic Creek Clean Up • Saturday, April 26 • 9 to 11 am Talkin’ Trash Picnic • 11 am to 1 pm • Flourtown Pavilion on Mill Road in Fort Washington State Park In Philadelphia In Montgomery County Join FOW and our partners at the Wissahickon East Project as we clean Join our partners at the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association to this new area of the park. Meet at the corner of Woodbrook Lane and clean the Wissahickon Creek. All volunteers must be pre-assigned a Anderson Street in East Mt. Airy. Register at www.fow.org and indicate if section of the Wissahickon Creek or a tributary to clean. Register at www. you plan to attend the picnic. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Eric Falk with wvwa.org/creekcleanup/. Please indicate the name, size, age range of questions at 215-247-0417 x107 or [email protected]. your group, and if you plan to stay for the picnic.

Grace Garrett and Charlotte Nadel of Abington at last year’s Creek Clean Up.

6 Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 WATERSHED WATCH FOW Project Update Partners in Water Quality by Henry Stroud, Project Manager The Signs They Are A-Changin’ Mt. Airy Art Garage n December 2013, FOW received $250,000 from the Commonwealth of Rain Barrel Project Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Marcellus Legacy by Linda Slodki, President and Co-founder of MAAG IFund for the completion of a new wayfinding and signage system for Wissahickon Valley Park. (Wow! That was a mouthful.) The key thing to n May 2012, the Mt. Airy Business Improvement District (MABID) remember is this: FOW now has the funds available to fabricate and install became the first Philadelphia neighborhood association to receive 15 a new sign system for the park. New signs will start appearing in the early rain barrels from the Philadelphia Water Department to be used for part of 2015. I sustainable practice of water conservation within our community. MABID What you will see: Wissahickon Valley Park reached out to the Mt. Airy Art Garage (MAAG) and we, in partnership with • new and refurbished trailhead kiosks Signage Project them, turned it into both sustainability and art. with standardized messaging, interpretive Complete Today, these barrels are being used to water planters on Germantown panels, and an updated park map. Larger Inventory of Existing Signage Avenue in Mt. Airy, beautifying and revitalizing our community. The barrels “primary trailheads” will have more panels Infrastructure were painted by students, artist members of MAAG, educators, and family with more in-depth information, including FOW hired MERJE Design to create members. descriptions of the local environment, new graphic guidelines For the artists at MAAG, what had been missing at MAAG was a park history, and more. Stakeholder input was solicited concerted effort to reach out to the area schools and elder communities. We • new trail markers will replace the existing through a series of workshops and a wanted to include more children, embrace our elders, and integrate themes “tombstone” markers and are designed to public forum representative of the Wissahickon Watershed and our community. This vision convey more information with a smaller Philadelphia Parks & Recreation resulted in Phase 2 of MAAG’s Rain Barrel Project with artists ranging in age footprint, including distances to key Approved Signage from 10 to 85. attractions and clearly marked permitted MAAG artist teachers enlisted the enthusiastic trail uses. The new trail markers will also Coming in 2014-2015 participation of elders, children, teachers, physical be four-sided (4x4 wooden posts with Programming of signage system therapists, and art therapists at the Pennsylvania interchangeable wooden blocks), allowing Fabrication of signs School for the Deaf, Springside Chestnut Hill trail intersections to be signed from all Kiosk Construction & Refurbishment Academy, the Germantown High School Stained directions. Installation Glass Project, Homelink, and the C.W. Henry FOW has been planning for the new sign School. system since the Sustainable Trails Initiative first took shape in 2006.A visually So it began, with ten barrels from PWD—two consistent, easily understandable sign system will provide vital wayfinding per group. Five went back to the institutions, and information to park users. The ability to accurately identify designated trail uses five into the community in publicly accessible and orient users in the park will reduce trail conflicts, promote responsible spaces. MAAG initiated teacher training sessions park use, and enhance the overall park experience. This will be especially designed to acquaint teachers with construction useful for new visitors to the park, as the 50 miles of upper trails can be easily A student from C. W. Henry of preparatory drawings, compositional devices, overlooked for hiking and other activities. School decorates a rain barrel and general guidelines based on specific themes at the Mt. Airy Art Garage. Photo courtesy of Linda Slodki integral to the northwest section of Philadelphia and its relationship to the Wissahickon Watershed. Trails, Trails, Trails! The completed barrels, with images centering on Earth Day, were exhibited at nother trail building season approaches, and FOW is gearing up MAAG on May 31, 2013. We were honored to have these barrels on display at for several large trail projects. Another round of funding from the the EPA Public Information Center in Center City throughout June of last year. ACommonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority’s We at MAAG realize that our responsibility to the community is to Marcellus Legacy Fund will pay for two large gully restoration projects on the increase awareness of the restorative and educational power that art can western edge of the park near Roxborough Avenue and Gorgas Lane. provide. We are conscious that MAAG, located in the heart of the Wissahickon At Roxborough Avenue 3a , ~1,000 ft of old trail will be closed and restored Watershed, gives us a unique opportunity to combine art with an awareness to forest habitat. This particular trail segment channels stormwater to Forbidden of the fragility of our natural environment. And we are pleased we could Drive and is partly responsible for the washout just south of the Kitchen’sL ane marry creative impulse with civic awareness through community participation. Bridge. At Gorgas Lane 3b , a shorter but much more deeply incised portion of MAAG Rain Barrel Project Sponsors: Chestnut Hill Community Fund; trail will receive similar treatment. On both projects, FOW volunteers will work Chestnut Hill Rotary Club; Dick Blick Art Supplies; The Flying Horse Center; alongside environmental engineers to plan and design new trail segments. Like Martin Elfant, Inc.; Philadelphia Activities Fund (Hon. Cindy Bass); Philadelphia all of our trail closures, these projects are designed to reclaim forest habitat, Redevelopment Authority; PhillyOfficeRetail.com; SmithHouston, Inc. promote ground water recharge, and reduce sedimentation in the Wissahickon Creek. Other trail projects planned include rerouting the trail that leads from the NEWSLETTER CORRECTION: intersection of Bell’s Mill Road and Forbidden Drive to the Andorra Meadow 2 , Readers of our winter newsletter may have noticed a special feature in the Project Update on improvements to the Orange Trail between Kitchen’s Lane and Mt. Airy p. 5 explaining how FOW put sustainability practices to use in our Valley Green Road Stream Stabilization and Parking Lot Improvement Project. The newsletter editor inadvertently omitted Avenue 4 , and a tread stabilization project in Blue BellP ark 5 that will the word “instead,” and stated that FOW took soil to a landfill. WE DID NOT. In fact, as our Project make the trail more resistant to erosion and damage. Manager Henry Stroud explained in his article, FOW took the material excavated from the stream channel and used it to create stormwater berms at Historic RittenhouseTown, resurface a vehicle road in the Andorra Natural Area, and more. The editor apologizes for any confusion.

Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 7 E 90 Y ARS— fter a storm destroyed over 200 trees, have preserved the history of the Wissahickon Every year has seen increased coordination members of the community surrounding Valley by maintaining and restoring fences, stone betweenS TAs and the Philadelphia Parks & C Athe Wissahickon Valley met in 1924 to walls, and structures, such as the WPA shelters ERecreation (PPR) Ranger Corps. TAs check in with develop methods to preserve the park. Many along Forbidden Drive, the Warming Shed at Valley the Rangers when they begin and end their shifts O of these neighbors had been involved in the Green, and the Inn itself. They have advocatedT for in the park and file field reports for every shift with campaign to close the trail that is now known as appropriate use of the park, adequate zoning to the FOW office and the PPR Ranger Supervisor. U Forbidden Drive to automobiles. These volunteers prevent development of park land, andA other policy The information collected by the Trail Ambassadors committed themselves not only to caring for the issues to protect the Wissahickon. And they have is useful in showing trends in park usage and N Wissahickon, but educating others on the need provided environmental educationR through guided regulation compliance in the Wissahickon. for environmental conservation. The Friends of hikes, workshops, lectures, publications, and an At FOW and community events, TAs are able the Wissahickon was born. active online presence. to share their knowledge ofY theEA Wissahickon and T B 90 RS— ES CO AT U L R N E B T E L L E E E S L C S Years— F

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By 1930, this group of men and women from WFinancial support for FOW’s work comes from explain the importance and impact of FOW’s work R 90Chestnut Hill, Germantown, and Mt. Airy had foundations, government agencies, and individual throughout the park. “The TA program is one of increased from 50 to 500 and had raised $9,000 to donors. Most recently, FOW has received over $1 FOW’s most important programs, a much needed million in grant awards from the William Penn way to connect the talents of the community to the purchase and plant 14,000 native trees, shrubs, and O I wildflowers. They spent the next decade pursuing Foundation, the Pennsylvania Department of needs of the park,” says McCarthy.

numerous projects to preserve the park and create Community and Economic Development (DCED), Crew Leaders E and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental a place of refuge and recreation for the community, F An FOW Volunteer Crew Leader is an Protection (PA-DEP). (Read more on p. 11.) Equally

such as: dredging Wissahickon Creek; building experienced volunteer who is skilled in leading important to FOW’s successful stewardship of N trails, and bridle paths; and restoring Harper’s volunteer groups in a park setting and has a Wissahickon Valley Park is its growing membership Meadow and Valley Green Inn. commitment to FOW’s mission of habitat protection and volunteer corps, along with key partnerships

FOW’s 90th Anniversary events will in Wissahickon Valley Park. They are also experts

and innovative volunteer opportunities, such as the commemorate the first decade of the organization’s in trail building or habitat restoration (or both) D Trail Ambassadors and Crew Leaders programs. stewardship of the Wissahickon Valley and and have a desire to share their knowledge and celebrate the countless members, volunteers, and Trail Ambassadors

supporters that have continued the legacy of these The Trail Ambassador program, launched in early environmentalists. “Although FOW had some 2008 with a class of 12 volunteers, has expanded S support from the staff and Board of the Chestnut to a corps of 78 Trail Ambassadors (TAs). According Hill Historical Society beginning in the 1990s,” to Outreach Manager Sarah Marley, TAs learn says Executive Director Maura McCarthy, “we were about a variety of topics, including the history completely volunteer driven until 2003, when we of Wissahickon Valley Park, the science of the hired our first full-time director, Tom Pelikan.” Wissahickon watershed, the geologic history of Over the next eight decades, FOW grew to the park, and plant and wildlife identification. become one of the largest of the 80 friends-of- Additionally, they are briefed about ongoing parks groups in Philadelphia, with a professional projects and current rules and regulations of staff of eight, 1,600 members, annual revenues of the park and certified in First Aid and CPR. This over $1 million, hundreds of volunteers, and an extensive training allows them to become experts impressive list of initiatives and responsibilities, on the Wissahickon, which provides a valuable including: invasive plant control; maintenance of public service to all park users they encounter. historic park structures; natural trail maintenance and repair; stormwater remediation; and trail restoration projects, such as the Sustainable Trails Trail Ambassadors are the eyes and Initiative. Together, FOW members, volunteers, ears of FOW in the park. partners, and supporters have made a profound • Patrol the park difference in the health of the Wissahickon through • Answer questions from park visitors these conservation programs, with the ultimate • Assist park users with safety or first aid needs goal of protecting the Wissahickon Creek as a • Staff FOW information tables at community events source of drinking water for Philadelphians. They • Lead hikes in the Wissahickon Crew Leader John Cassidy works with volunteer Colleen Ferguson.

8 Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 0 YEARS S 9 — Crew Leaders do more than lead volunteerC E projects in the park. O • Educate volunteers regarding the ecological, social, logistical and T financial challenges of maintaining and protecting the park • Help instill a conservation ethic among volunteers U A • Inform volunteers of FOW projects and goals N R T B expertise with others. According to Outreach Manager Sarah Marley, Crew Leaders gain valuable skills they can apply both within the park and in the local community. They share L E these skills with their fellow volunteers and neighbors, thus improving the Wissahickon as well as any other locations they E L volunteer or work. “It’s a great program,” says McCarthy, “and we are very excited about the caliber of people who are drawn to it.” S E Partners Trail Ambassador Diane Garvey leading a hike in the Wissahickon. The key to FOW’s success has been its S C commitment to working with the community. FOW Did you know? not only counts members FOW will be making improvements to Valley Green Inn throughout the coming year and holding its and volunteers among its 90th Anniversary Celebration there on October 25, 2014. FOW is the leaseholder for Valley Green Inn and friends, but includes local is responsible for and oversees the physical condition of the building andF its immediate surroundings, agencies and organizations, under the auspices of the Fairmount Park Historic Preservation Trust. Valley Green Inn is the ideal place such as Philadelphia to celebrate FOW’s 90th Anniversary, says Executive Director Maura McCarthy. “It has become the central W Parks & Recreation (PPR). gathering place in the Wissahickon because of its history, its significance inR people’s lives, and its “Philadelphia Parks & enduring symbolism of community engagement and stewardship.” Recreation greatly values our working partnership O I with the Friends,” notes

Mark A. Focht, First Deputy Commissioner at PPR. “For E decades we have worked together to restore and preserve the F

environmental and cultural features of the Wissahickon Valley.” According to McCarthy, PPR remains FOW’s premier partner. N “It is the defining partnership of FOW,” she says. “It has taught

us how to be a good partner with other organizations.” Those other organizations include the Wissahickon Valley D Watershed Association, Philadelphia Water Department, the

Chestnut Hill Historical Society, members of the equestrian,

running, and biking communities, and many more. “Our partners bring resources to projects, help amplify FOW’s voice S in advocacy, support our missions, and provide financial support,” says McCarthy. “Together with our volunteers and members, they help us continue the work started by those concerned community members 90 years ago.”

Donna Mora and Dan Kronmiller from PPR fixing a fence along Forbidden Drive. FOW Partners (a short list) Philadelphia Parks & Recreation 1924 2014 FOW partners with PPR on all stewardship initiatives affecting Wissahickon Valley Park. 50 members 1,600 members Philadelphia Water Department FOW partners with PWD on capital and infrastructure projects in the Raised $9,000 raised over $1million in 2013 park that directly benefit water quality in the Wissahickon. planted over 31,500 trees Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association planted 14,000 natives and shrubs in the last decade FOW works with WVWA on issues that bring the watershed and water quality to public attention and supports their water testing initiatives. built shelters and Structures Crew has worked over masonry structures 18,000 hours over the last 10 years Chestnut Hill Historical Society FOW works with CHHS to retain open space in the lower maintained trails Built or restored 9.87 miles of trails through STI Wissahickon Valley. 50 volunteers 762 volunteers in 2013

Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 9 9 Looking Back with FOW FOW Annual Meeting Tuesday, June 3, 2014 Ella Torrey 6 pm FOW members are invited to gather to review FOW’s the past year and learn about upcoming FOW projects. Special Guest Speaker to be announced. First Female FOW members who attend the Annual Meeting will receive a printed copy of the Annual Report for President 2013 in addition to the digital version (PDF) that all members will receive in May. Register to attend by Dena Sher, Associate Editor online at www.fow.org or call 215-247-0417 x109.

he Friends of the Wissahickon was a volunteer- operated organization when Ella Torrey joined its Board Tof Directors in the 1980s. Only a few years later, in 1989, she became co-president of FOW with F. Markoe “Koey” Rivinus. Their partnership lasted until 1992. VALLEY TALKS Throughout the 1980s and under the presidency of Ella and Koey, major problems in the Wissahickon that had existed for decades began to be addressed. Board member Joe Dlugach, 6 pm at Valley Green Inn Valley Talks are free and open to the public. recognizing problems such as trail deterioration, stormwater mismanagement, and invasive Register to attend at www.fow.org vegetation, organized a trails committee. This committee metamorphosed into a powerful Sponsored by and comprehensive Conservation Committee under which there were five subcommittees for trail repair, storm damage, invasive plant control, trash and vandalism, and wildlife. FOW’s conservation work is still in force today, managed by paid staff and overseen by the Board of Directors. During their tenure, Ella and Koey oversaw the renovation and expansion of Valley Green Inn. “I was appalled at seeing that the undersized kitchen at the Inn had a dirt floor,” recalls Ella. FOW’s Board of Directors was willing to undertake funding for renovations, but only on Wednesday, April 23 the condition that it obtain a long-term lease from the City for management of the Inn. It took Philadelphia’s Living Waterways: the Past, Present, six years to acquire a 25-year renewable lease with the Fairmount Park Historic Preservation and What We Have to Look Forward to. Trust, which had responsibility for all structures in Fairmount Park. Handicap accessibility at Dr. David Hewitt, Drexel University the Inn and a liquor license, crucial to the Inn’s financial success, were negotiated by Ella. FOW raised $500,000 for the Inn in good part from the efforts of President Rivinus, who Wednesday, May 21 Ella describes as “marvelous,” but also from city and private foundations. The money made Native Gardening: How Native Plants Sustain possible not only structural improvements to the 150-year old original building, but the Wildlife in our Gardens addition of a bright new kitchen with a solid floor, bathrooms, and a large, roofed patio with an Doug Tallamy, Author of Bringing Nature Home adjoining bar, suitable for social events. Ella brought diplomatic skills to her role as co-president of FOW, skills she acquired during her 40-year career in international relations. She recalls with pride that as a member of the United States mission to the United Nations, her first assignment was as a public information officer for Eleanor Roosevelt. The highlight of her experience with FOW, however, was working closely with Koey Rivinus and his wife, Anne, as well as FOW’s hard-working and dedicated Board of Directors. After Ella stepped down as co-president, she remained on FOW’s Board of Directors through 1999 and served on an executive committee created by David Pope, who succeeded Ella and Koey as FOW president. This committee also included Charlie Dilks, William Hengst, Robert Lukens, Edward Stainton, and Robert Wallis. It was responsible for transforming FOW into a large, well-funded, professionally run organization capable of undertaking major projects throughout the Wissahickon. Currently a resident of Cathedral Village, a retirement home in Roxborough, Ella walks weekly in the Wissahickon. She is impressed by the large and more diverse numbers of users in the park as compared to the time of her involvement with FOW.

We appreciate Valley Source: Green Bank reinvesting in Metropolitan Paradise: The Struggle for Nature in the City. Philadelphia’s Wissahickon Valley, 1620-2020 by David Contosta and Carol Franklin (St. Joseph’s University Press, 2010) Vol. 3, pp. 497, 556-557, 580, 582. our community and in the Wissahickon Valley!

10 Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 STI Fundraising Halfway to Goal New Wissahickon Mural Uplifting for The Friends of the Wissahickon is $1.4 million closer to its goal of raising $10 million for the Patients at Einstein in East Norriton Sustainable Trails Initiative. Grant Awards received in the last six months from foundation and state by Dena Sher, Associate Editor funding sources have put FOW’s fundraising for STI just over the half-way mark, with a little over hen the architect of the Einstein Montgomery Medical Arts Building in East Norriton $5 million. “We can’t reach our goal of $10 million requested a mural, he asked for a work of art that was “colorful, inspiring, and uplifting without robust public support,” says Development Wfor staff and patients passing through the space,” says artist Michael Adams. That is Director Ruffian Tittmann. To make a donation, what Adams and his partner Susannah Hart Thomer gave them with their 10’ x 15’ mural of the visit www.fow.org or contact Ruffian Tittmann at Wissahickon Creek. [email protected]. Hanging on the large white wall of the entrance lobby of the Medical Arts Building, the painting depicts the Wissahickon Creek as it flows through Gwynedd Township. With a foreground of cool blue water flowing Celebrate FOW’s 90th over a shallow dam, and lush forest on and Support STI the bank reflected Light a candle on our birthday cake! Then in the water, the scene fulfills the join us at our 90th Anniversary events. (See objective of calm p. 3.) Each $100 donation lights a new candle tranquility. on our 90th birthday cake. As of March 4, 45 FOW supporters have lit candles. More Wissahickon Murals Philadelphia Marriott Hotel in Center City: A 15’ x 20’ mural by Diane Burko encircles the lobby at this hotel Recent Grant on Market Street. Brendenbeck’s Bakery: A mural painted by Mural Arts in 2012 can be seen on the side of the building at Awards to FOW 8009 Germantown Avenue. • $440,000 from the William Penn Foundation Wissahickon Environmental Center: A mural depicting Wissahickon wildlife can be viewed inside the building to support the continued growth of FOW’s located at the Andorra Natural Area in Wissahickon Valley Park. community engagement and stewardship More information at: www.susannaharthomer.com and www.michael-adams-studio.com initiatives in Wissahickon Valley Park • $271,000 from the Commonwealth Financing Authority under the Pennsylvania Department of Executed in acrylics, the mural was based on a watercolor by Thomer, who has a solid reputation Community and Economic Development (DCED) as a painter in that medium, is a member of theA merican Watercolor Society, and has exhibited in to support tributary and stormwater channel numerous galleries. The scene depicted in the mural is a favorite painting site for her, and she has remediation visited it many times. Her collaborator, Adams, is not familiar with the Wissahickon. “The Skippack • $250,000 from the Commonwealth Financing Creek is my favorite hangout when I want to commune with nature,” he says. Authority under the Pennsylvania Department of Together, Adams and Thomer have established a great working relationship, each extolling the Community and Economic Development (DCED) other’s abilities. In addition to the Wissahickon mural, they have completed five other murals which to support the implementation of a park-wide trail include two at the East Norriton Firehouse, one at a retirement home, and one at a private residence. signage program To meet a deadline, the artists created the Wissahickon mural in panels, approximately 5’ x 5’, • $100,000 from the Commonwealth Financing which they painted in a nearby art store space. The panels were then transported to the MedicalA rts Authority under the Pennsylvania Department of Building in time for a reception that was held for artists from the GreaterN orristown Art League whose Community and Economic Development (DCED) work had been hung in a hallway in the building. (Adams and Thomer are both members of the Art to support the restoration of a collapsed stream League.) bank failure along Forbidden Drive. Coordinating the colors in the separate panels was achieved by working on three panels at a time, • $330,000 from the Pennsylvania Department mixing enough paint to cover the water section or the forest section. Susan pointed out the even edges of Environmental Protection (PA-DEP) for work of the canvases were painted as a continuation of the scenes. on the highly eroded tributary that flows from Hospital staff and patients have responded positively to the beautiful mural, so very visible in the the Wissahickon Environmental Center toward lobby, and even more so as one mounts stairs in the lobby.A s Adams says, “There’s something about Forbidden Drive and for additional completion reflected images in water that is very soothing.” work in the Andorra Natural Area.

Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 11 Wissahickon Day Q & A Q. What do the Mummer’s, Macy’s, and the Wissahickon have in common? A. An annual parade to celebrate a tradition! Each year, on the last Sunday in April, folks gather in the Wissahickon to celebrate that “Forbidden Drive” was successfully closed to automobiles in 1921. Around that time, a turnpike through the park was proposed, but equestrian park users protested with a parade of carriages& and riders. Hundreds of horses and their riders turned out for this original protest. Fortunately, the turnpike initiative was defeated in City Council. If you are a hiker, biker, rider,Q stroller, ambler, bird-watcher, or other Apark user, be sure to come out on Sunday, April 27, 2014, to join in this year’s festivities. Can you imagine how different your park experience would be if the events of 1921 had turned out differently? Forbidden Drive would be a roadway! Of course, Wissahickon Day includes traditional equestrian events, too. A horseshow at Northwestern Stables will start at 10 a.m., featuring Up at the Tree House… English and Western riders as well as carriages. After the show, parade line-up begins and the parade will proceed along Forbidden Drive starting at noon. Bring your Mayapples: Umbrellas cameras and show your appreciation for the four- legged animals that kept the four-wheeled motor of the Forest vehicles at bay! The parade will end at Valley Green Inn.—Sue Landers and Josephine Catanzaro by Trish Fries, Wissahickon Environmental Center For more information and photos of past parades, visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ uring the spring and early summer in WissahickonDayParade or www.wissahickonday.org. the woods of the Andorra Natural Area, Dyou can find large patches of mayapple A new Fancy Hat competition is being added to the Wissahickon (Podophyllum peltatum), a wildflower. Growing in Day Parade. Participants will be judged at 11 a.m. during s a break in areas of rich soil under the beech and oak trees the horse show at Northwestern Stables. Winners will be transported to that dominate the eastern slope, mayapples have Valley Green Inn to receive prizes. Categories are: Fancy, Clever, and Funny. Contact Barbara Sherf (pictured large, beautiful leaves that form a twelve-inch-high here) at [email protected] for details or just show up on April 27th wearing your hat! blanket across the ground, creating a canopy for toads, turtles, and other forest floor dwellers. The mayapple leaves emerge from the ground like an Biennial Photo Contest umbrella. Turning a leaf over might reveal a large, creamy white flower, attached below the two leaves. Stems with a single leaf A Day in the do not flower. The flower appears in May and will last about two weeks. If pollinated, that flower gives way to a small one- Life of the Wissahickon inch green fruit that ripens into a soft, yellow “apple.” Colonies of mayapples are formed by underground Saturday, May 10 rhizomes. A large patch of mayapples can be started from (rain date May 17) one seed and live for decades. The germinated seed may not Photographers are asked to submit a photo taken in the Wissahickon on May 10 produce blooms until the plant is 12 years old. on a subject of their choosing. Deadline for submissions: May 31, 2014. Prizes will Unlike many of our native plants, the leaves are not eaten be awarded for Best in Show, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as a People’s Choice by white-tailed deer. They have been known to eat the fruit Award conducted on Facebook. while it is still green. However, it is the Eastern box turtle Entries that eats most of the apples, helping to spread the mayapple should be sent seeds. Without the box turtle, the seeds seldom germinate. electronically to The digestive juices of the box turtle break down the thick Outreach Manager seed coating and raise the germination rate from 8.5% to 38%. Sarah Marley But the Eastern box turtle is scarce in our woods, making the at marley@fow. appearance of a mayapple patch an uncommon treat. org. For complete All parts of the mayapple plant are poisonous except the submission yellow, ripened fruit. Usually by the time the fruit is ripe, it guidelines, rules, has been eaten. After waiting years to find a ripened fruit, and an official entry form, visit www. I cautiously tasted one, quickly remembering that I should fow.org or visit not eat the seeds; even on a ripe fruit the seeds are still FOW’s office. For considered toxic. After trying one, I have decided I will leave more information, them for the box turtles; it wasn’t tasty enough for the trouble! contact Sarah Trish Fries is an Environmental Education Program Marley by email or Specialist at the Wissahickon Environmental Center. 215-247-0417 x109.

Photo by Christine Ferraro

12 Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 Safety Guidelines • Park users should exercise with a partner whenever possible; if exercising alone, try to avoid using the park during off-peak times. • Be alert! Go headphone free! It’s not only unsafe from the perspective of crime prevention, but you won’t hear bicyclists behind you or other potential problems. • Vary your routine. If you always start your run at Valley Green at 6 a.m., try going to Bell’s Mill Road or Kitchen’s Washington’s Rock. In 1907 a plaque commemorating the Battle of Germantown was installed by the Pennsylvania Lane once or twice a week. Society of Sons of the Revolution near the entrance to Forbidden Drive from Lincoln Drive. • Trust your instincts. There is a sense of isolation from the city in the park that has a lot of appeal. If you sense trouble because of a person or a place, leave. The Battle of Germantown & the • Swimming in any of Philadelphia’s rivers and streams is illegal and dangerous. Revolutionary War in the Wissahickon The Philadelphia Department of Public Health states that swimming and by Jack Coleman, Trail Ambassador wading are not permitted due to risks of drowning, injury from submerged he Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777, was shaped by several factors, not least of which objects, strong currents, and other was local topography. General Armstrong’s Pennsylvania militia was stationed along the steep hazards. Twestern side of the lower Wissahickon, as far as the Schuylkill River. There, they faced vastly superior Hessian forces on the heights across the stream and on Manatawny Road (Ridge Pike) below. • Swimming in Philadelphia creeks and Armstrong effectively used artillery to prevent a Hessian crossing of the bridge near the mouth of the rivers is also a serious health hazard because of bacterial contamination and Wissahickon Creek. The superior range and accurate plunging fire of his militia’s long Pennsylvania rifles pollution of the water. also prevented the Hessians from fording the stream elsewhere above its junction with the Schuylkill River. • When you park your car, lock your doors, carry your keys with you, and do Both sides in the battle used local informers as well as their own reconnaissance units. The limited not leave wallets, cell phones, or other number of rough roads into the middle and lower Wissahickon gorge at the time were located at sites where valuables in plain sight in your car. The water power and terrain had led to construction of important mills. Livezey Lane wound up into Allen’s Lane, major area of crime in the Wissahickon one mile from the point on Germantown Road where the opening skirmish of the Battle took place. is in the parking lots. The Livezey site included a mill, a house, a barn, and other structures, and a bridge over the stream that • Please report suspicious activity by provided access up to Manatawny Road. It would have been a site of great interest to the British, as it was calling 911. to two American officers, Colonel Reed and General Cadwalader, who appeared at Thomas Livezey’s door. • Visit www.fow.org frequently. FOW posts Disguised in the scarlet uniforms of British generals, they were seeking information about British positions crime alerts as necessary. a mile away. Livezey, incidentally, had reputedly hidden his wine barrels in nearby Devil’s Pool to keep them away from British soldiers. Important Numbers to Know There may also be some basis of truth in the famous tale of MomR inker, who would daily watch • If your car is broken into, call 911. movements along the Wissahickon Creek from her favorite rock, reporting her observations via notes dropped Report the location of your car (the to messengers waiting below, who would forward them to the American army. The valley was far more open number of the parking lot will help). then, and her observations were feasible. Stay until the police arrive. Finally, an unconfirmed but highly plausible tale has it that in 1918, a cannon ball was found in the trunk • The Fairmount Park Rangers can be of an ancient tree being removed from the future site of the WilliamP enn Charter School on School House reached at 215-685-2172. Lane. If so, it may well have originated from those now long obscured heights, a mile away across the • FOW Trail Ambassadors are often in the Wissahickon Gorge. park. Their primary role is to provide

information to park visitors about the Wissahickon and report any problems Sources: they see to Fairmount Park Rangers. Brandt, Francis Burke. The Wissahickon Valley within the City of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Corn Exchange National Bank, 1927. If you are unable to call 911 or the McGuire, Thomas J. The Philadelphia Campaign Volume II: Germantown and the Roads to Valley Forge. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole, 2007. Rangers yourself, a Trail Ambassador West, Sarah. Rediscovering the Wissahickon. Philadelphia, PA: Westford, 1993. can help.

Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 13 Wissahickon Gateway—long-term (dotted line) and short-term (solid line) alignments. Staff Snapshot: Wissahickon Gateway Update Joseph Hager by Sarah Clark Stuart, Bicycle Coalition

Parks, Grounds, Maintenance he Wissahickon Gateway is the Schuylkill River Trail’s (SRT) most critical gap. It is the Supervisor for Philadelphia Parks name for the section that lies in between Kelly Drive and the Pencoyd Bridge on Main & Recreation District 4 TStreet in East Falls and Manayunk, a distance of about one mile. Currently, most recreational riders bicycling from Center City turn around where the path How long have you been working for on Kelly Drive ends at Ridge Avenue. Beyond that corner is an inhospitable set of barriers Parks & Rec.? that deter a significant portion of riders who might otherwise be willing to ride further. These I started in 1981. I was already working full-time in barriers include: a narrow sidewalk along Ridge Avenue over the Wissahickon Creek; a SEPTA Pennypack Park before I graduated from Saul High transportation center with buses pulling in and out of driveways; many transit riders standing on School. the sidewalk; and constant bus, truck, and other motor vehicle traffic driving inbound and in and How long did you work in Pennypack? out of driveways along Ridge Avenue. The area is considered one of the City’s most dangerous I worked in the Northeast and Pennypack for 30 years. intersections for crashes. It also has numerous privately and publicly held land parcels that make Then I came to the Wissahickon. weaving a trail extremely difficult. This section of the SRT has befuddled many concerned stakeholders, including the Bicycle What are your responsibilities? Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Manayunk Development Corporation, East Falls Development In winter I supervise two crews of ten people doing Corporation, and the Friends of Wissahickon for years, and closing the gap has been slow going. maintenance in the Wissahickon Park itself and the In 2010, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) won a Department of Conservation and Natural recreation centers in District 4. We do snow removal, Resources (DCNR) grant to conduct an engineering study. They hired Michael Baker Jr., Inc., to minor tree work, general maintenance at recreation conduct a “preliminary” engineering study of the area. It was the first study since a conceptual centers, ball field renovations, . . . plan was produced by the Schuylkill Project in 2008. A stakeholder committee was established What do you and your crew do in the and met three times with the consultants and PPR staff. One public meeting was held on Wissahickon? November 1, 2012. A lot of our work is along Forbidden Drive—trash needs The Michael Baker 2013 study and appendices detail the advantages and challenges of and clean up. If a tree falls, we have a tree division out of each of the alternatives studied. As of Spring 2013, PPR has settled on a short-term and long- here that takes care of that. Pruning and maintenance term trail alignment. A new bike/pedestrian bridge (below Ridge Avenue) will be built as part of of borders. Bathrooms need maintenance. We don’t do a this new segment of the SRT. The short-term alignment needs to weave in between the SEPTA whole lot on the trails because we get a lot of support for and PECO properties. Since Spring 2013, PPR has been negotiating with SEPTA and PECO on that from FOW. moving their fence lines in order to design the short-term alignment.A s of this writing, those What is your biggest challenge? negotiations are still ongoing. The long-term alignment will be pursued when the Steinberg property (old paint store and Restaurant Depot) is developed in the future. We do all of this with a staff of ten and some seasonal staff, so we aren’t able to do all the things we used to do Sarah Clark Stuart is Policy Director for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. For in the Wissahickon. We used to be able to aerate and seed more information visit www.bicyclecoalition.org. the grass areas and fertilize. We only do it occasionally now. The turf isn’t as good as it could be. Prioritizing is challenging with limited resources.

What is your favorite spot in the Wissahickon? Despite terrible winter weather, 18 FOW The area around Gorgas Run. supporters attended What do you like most about your job? Strike a Tree Pose Being able to see tasks completed. Because we are so for the Trees at Yoga overloaded with day-to-day work, I don’t often get to Garden Philly on finish something. I start something and then may not February 15. One have a chance to get back to it for an extended period. To couple left their four Yoga for the Trees be able to do that is fine. children at home so they could have a date that would help support FOW. Yoga Garden Philly has raised $415 for Do you have a message for park users? the Friends of the Wissahickon at this event and an earlier yoga class in October 2013. FOW is My first thought is to tell people to respect the park and grateful to Yoga Garden Philly for their support and the support of all who attended the yoga not abuse it. I would encourage people to use the park classes. More information at www.yogagardenphilly.com and get involved with FOW.

14 Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 NEWMembers IN THE WISSAHICKON FOW is pleased to welcome the following new members, who joined the HIKES Friends of the Wissahickon from December 2013 through February 2014. Pete Angevine Ms. Julia Kilduff Trail Ambassador Hikes Registration is recommended for all hikes (required if indicated) so that participants can be informed of weather or other emergency Mr. Bryan Astheimer Dr. Joan Korth-Bradley cancellations. Unless otherwise specified, Trail Ambassador Hikes may be on rocky, rugged trails that may be wet and slippery. Wear sturdy Mr. and Mrs. William Benzing Mr. Bernard Langer shoes or boots with socks. Long pants are recommended for protection against occasional poison ivy and possible ticks. Bring water and a snack if desired. Unless otherwise noted, children over six are welcome if accompanied by a responsible adult. Walks are cancelled in heavy Mr. I. G. Bilyk Mrs. Erica Lynes rain or icy conditions. Find more details on p. 5. To register, contact Sarah Marley at [email protected]. Visit www.fow.org for updates. Ms. Brighid Blake Ms. Mary Markle Meanderings in the Wissahickon with Shelly Brick Saturday, March 29 • 2 pm Meet at Kitchen’s Lane parking lot off Wissahickon Ave. Ms. Danielle Bower Mrs. Georgia Matranga Sunday, April 20 • 2 pm Meet at intersection of Wayne Ave. and Allen’s Lane. Mrs. Colleen Bracken Dr. Susana Mayer Saturday, May 10 • 2 pm Meet at Chestnut Hill Ave. entrance to the park at Seminole St. Saturday, June 7 • 3 pm Meet at Rex Ave. entrance to the park. Ms. Margaret Brannan Mr. John McAdams Enjoy our park and “talk story,” a Hawaiian tradition. Pace will be set by the group. Wear sturdy footwear and bring water. Dr. Mike Brenner Mr. and Mrs. Stephen McCarter Trails Less Traveled III: Bushwhacking on the Andorra Plateau with Gerry Schweiger Sunday March 30 • 1 pm Meet in parking area at Northwestern Ave. on the Chestnut Hill side of the park. Look for the gray Toyota Ms. Sabrina Cellarosi Mr. Robert McDivitt Corolla. There are lots of briers, brambles, fallen trees, and scree; hikers should wear leather gloves or similar thorn-resistant sturdy gloves. Ms. Stacy Charles Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McGready A Bird Walk with Mary Phalan Mr. Hal Taussig and Ms. Susan Cole Mrs. Sandra Meier Saturday, April 5 • 9 am Meet at stone tables where Forbidden Drive crosses Bell’s Mill Rd. Duration: 2 hours. Bring binoculars and a bird book if you have one. Children 12 and over, who enjoy bird walks, are welcome with a supervising adult. Rain will cancel hike. Mrs. Beth Collins Mr. Oliver Mellet Trails Less Traveled II: The Cresheim Valley South Trails with Gerry Schweiger Mr. Stephan Copeland Neysa Nevins Sunday April 6 • 1 pm Meet at intersection of Huron Ave. and St. Martin’s Lane (parking available) on Chestnut Hill side of Cresheim Creek, which are accessible from Mermaid Lane (7500 St. Martin’s Lane, Philadelphia, 19118). We will hike two of these less-used trails and Mrs. Bibby D. Crane Loring and Ms. Diane O’Brien visit Climber’s Rock. NOTE: These trails cross several steep draws/ravines. Mr. Tom Loring Mr. Sean O’Dell Spring Awakening in the Park with Scott Quitel Mr. and Mrs. Anthony D’Aulerio Ms. Sue Osthoff Saturday, April 12 • 9 am Meet at Bell’s Mill Rd. and Forbidden Drive. Experience the park springing to life. Bring your senses. Mr. Peter Day Everyone Lives in a Watershed with Peg Shaw Mr. Charles Peters Sunday April 13 • 10 am Meet at Bell’s Mill Rd. and Forbidden Drive. Duration: 3 hours. Distance: 2+ miles over rugged terrain and Mr. Chris Diehl Mr. Richard Piluk neighborhood streets without sidewalks. Wear hiking shoes and pants, and bring water and a snack. Feel free to bring cameras, identification books, binoculars, field notebooks, and backpacks. Ms. Emily Ennulat-Lustine Mrs. Marjorie Reagan Ms. Elisha Faber Lower Forbidden Drive with Sarah West Mr. Charles Rhodes Saturday April 19 • 2 pm Meet at the small parking lot where Forbidden Drive meets Lincoln Drive, a short distance downstream from Ms. Marie Flail Mr. George Schuler RittenhouseTown. Duration: 1.75 hours. Distance: 1 mile along lower Forbidden Drive on level ground as far as Walnut Lane Bridge. Mr. Harry Garber Wildflower Walk with Susan and Donald Simon Mr. James Sczechowicz Saturday April 26 • 10 am Meet at Valley Green Inn. Wear footwear suitable for hiking. Duration: 2-3 hours. Bring a wildflower guide if Mr. Daniel Gargel Mr. Cliff Sharpe you wish. Mr. Steven Gentles Dr. Mitchell Shuwall Identifying and Drawing Wildflowers in Nature with Lisa Kolker Sunday, April 27 • 10 am - Meet at the Cedars House Mr. Jonathon Glassman Ms. Lennie Simonin Saturday, May 17 • 10 am - Meet at the Valley Green Inn Ms. Allison Golden Sunday, June 8 • 10 am - Meet at the Cedars House Ms. Kristine Soffa Duration: 2 hours. We will stop periodically and learn how to draw what we see. Children 12 or older are welcome with a responsible adult. Mr. Arcangelo Guida Mrs. Elizabeth Ten Have Difficulty: Easy. Bring a sketch book or paper, clip board, a drawing implement, and a cushion to sit on (optional). Wear comfortable shoes. Ms. Marion Halliburton Mr. Sandy Tilney The Power of Geology with Scott Quitel Mr. and Ms. Jim Harkins Saturday, May 10 • 9 am Meet near the Battle of Germantown Tablet, in the parking area where Forbidden and Lincoln Drives meet. Mr. Peter Walsh This hike will focus on a noteworthy large rock formation that preserves millions of years of geologic history. Difficulty: mildly strenuous. Mr. Paul Higgins Ms. Rivkah Walton Geology Hike with Sarah West Mr. Allen Hinkey Saturday, May 17 • 3 pm Meet at Valley Green Inn. Length: 1.5 miles along a rough, steep trail on the east side of the creek, upstream Mr. Anthony Woods from Valley Green. It can be slippery or muddy in places. Duration: 1.75 hours. This hike is suitable for children over 10 accompanied by a Ms. Arlene Kelly Ms. Linda Zebrowski responsible adult. Invasive and Native Plant Safari Michael Kopena Saturday, May 24 • 1 pm Meet at Kitchen’s Lane. Difficulty: Moderate. Duration: 1.5 hours. Sturdy comfortable footwear recommended. Return to Kitchen’s Lane expected around 2:30 pm. Kid-Friendly Hike to Prominent Wissahickon Sites with Marv Schwartz Saturday, June 7 • 1 pm Meet at the Valley Green Inn. Duration: 2 hours. We will hike along Forbidden Drive and visit various sites. Hiking shoes or sneakers are required for this hike of moderate difficulty on some rocky trails. Escape to the Wissahickon and Take a Breather with Michael Kopena Friday, June 13 • 6 pm Meet at Cedars House, Northwestern Ave. and Forbidden Drive. Difficulty: Easy. Duration: 1.5 hours. We will spend some time sitting so bring a mat, blanket or cushion if you wish. Sturdy, comfortable footwear recommended. Check our website for updates • www.fow.org

Appalachian Mountain Club Delaware Valley Chapter www.amcdv.org Mondays — Wissahickon Gorge Wandering. Brisk-paced hike; distance is dependent on the conditions and speed of the group. Meet at 6:30pm by Valley Green Inn. Bring water and a flashlight. Bad weather cancels. Leaders: Christina Lawless (215-530-3883 or [email protected]); Mike Lawless (215-836-2275); David Stein (215-508-5915 or [email protected]). Mar. 31 - Apr. 28. Tuesdays — Tuesday Nights in the Wissahickon. Casual social hike through hills of Wissahickon Gorge. Bring water and a flashlight or headlamp. Always an option for dinner following the hike. Meet at Bruno’s, at the corner of Germantown and Northwestern Aves., at 6:30 pm. Nasty weather will cancel. Leaders: David Stein (215-499-9803 before 9 pm or [email protected]); Pat Naismith (610-639-3670 before 9 pm or [email protected]). Apr. 1 - 29. Wednesday, May 7 — Wissahickon Park. Meet at 10 am at Valley Green (at foot of Valley Green Rd). Rain cancels (call by 9 am if doubts). Bring lunch and water. Boots advised. Leader: Paul Schott (215-635-3172 or [email protected]).

Winter in the Wissahickon Batona Hiking Club www.batonahikingclub.org Saturday, April 5 — South Wissahickon Creek Gorge Loop. Deborah Johnson of Roxborough left Winter in the Wissahickon with a Hills of the Wissahickon. 9 miles. Depart from Henry Ave. & Walnut Lane parking lot at 9:30 am (SEPTA 32 or 65 busses both stop at Henry beautifully decorated wreath and loads of holiday spirit. This annual Ave. & Walnut Lane.) The parking lot is at Walnut Lane & Magdalena St., one block east of Henry Ave. (traffic light) on the left coming from Henry Ave. Wear sturdy footwear for rocky terrain. Bring lunch & water. Cost: $1.00. Leader: Jerry Goldstein, 609-859-8133, event, held at Valley Green Inn in early December, offers everyone [email protected]. the opportunity to decorate their own holiday wreath while enjoying chestnuts roasting on an open fire, hot apple cider, and light fare. Environmental Educator Trish Fries from the Wissahickon Environmental Philaventures www.philaventures.org Last Sunday of Month — Wissahickon Hike. An opportunity to walk at a moderate pace with a talkative group of LGBT folks who like Center led a Winter Woods Hike and a workshop for children on fresh air and exercise! Some ups and downs and uneven paths are found along the way, so wear proper footwear and be ready to hike. This crafting nature gifts for animals. groups meets at 2pm at Cosimo’s Pizza, 8624 Germantown Ave. at Bethlehem Pike (the top of Chestnut Hill). RSVPs are required to the hike leader, Bert G. at [email protected].

Friends of the Wissahickon • Spring 2014 15 15 Calendar OF EVENTS IN THE WISSAHICKON VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES THIRD SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH Wissahickon Restoration Volunters (WRV) lead a service project from 10 am–12 pm as part of their on-going reforestation activities. Project details and directions WISSAHICKON ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER to the worksite will be posted on the WRV website at least one week prior to the event: www.wissahickonrestorationvolunteers.org. For information and to RSVP, Registration is required for all programs unless otherwise noted. Call 215-685-9285 or contact WRV at 215-951-0330, ext. 2101 or [email protected]. email [email protected] to register. The Tree House is Open the 2nd Saturday of Every Month, 10 am – 4 pm. EVERY TUESDAY Friends of the Wissahickon volunteers repair and build structures in the Wissahickon from 9am to 1pm. To register, contact Volunteer Coordinator Eric Falk at THURSDAY TOTS • Thursday, 1-2 pm [email protected] or 215-247-0417 x107. Bring your little one for an hour of discovery at the Tree House. Each month we will explore a new topic that celebrates the season. Ages 3-5. Parents stay with their child. Please register in EVERY WEDNESDAY advance. $2.00/child per lesson. Wissahickon Service Projects (September through May) 1pm to 3pm. Join Crefeld School, FOW, and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. Something new every week. Candle Dipping • April 17 Call David Bower at 215-685-0120 for info. Honey Bees • May 15 EVERY SATURDAY Mud Pies and Fairy Dust • June 19 Friends of the Wissahickon workdays in the park are held most Saturdays from 9am to 1pm, unless it is a holiday or there is inclement weather. Projects include trail maintenance, invasive FRIENDS OF THE WISSAHICKON Candle Dipping • Saturday, April 5 1– 3 pm weed removal, planting, and clean-ups. Visit http://fow.org/volunteering/upcoming-workdays for Make colorful, hand dipped candles to take home and use. Easy and fun for everyone! info on future projects. For any other info, contact Volunteer Coordinator Eric Falk at falk@fow. 90th Anniversary Events (p. 3) All ages. $2.00/person. org or Bird Walk • Saturday, May 10 Garlic Mustard Pull • Saturday, April 12 12– 3 pm 215-247-0417 x107. FOW’s Forbidden 10K • Sunday, May 18 Come out and lend a hand as we find out exactly how much of this invasive/delicious species we FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH Family Picnic • Saturday, July 12 can remove in a morning.Celebrating Try some tasty 90 garlic Years—Countless mustard dishes. All ages. Friends Free. Wissahickon Restoration Volunteers (WRV) lead a service project from 10 am–12 pm as part of 90th Anniversary Gala • Saturday, October 25 Meadow Bird Walks • Sundays, April 27 & May 18 7:30 – 10 am their on-going reforestation activities. Project details and directions to the worksite will be posted Hosted by local birder, Martin Selzer, we will check out the birds in the Andorra and Houston on the WRV website at least one week prior to the event: www.wissahickonrestorationvolunteers. Creek Clean Up (p. 6) • Saturday, April 26 Meadows. All ages. Free. org. For information and to RSVP, contact WRV at 215-951-0330, ext. 2101 or wrv.info@rhd. org. Biennial Photo Contest Family Cookout & Night Hike • Saturday, May 10 6 – 9 pm A Day in the Life of the Wissahickon (p. 12) Spend an evening around the fire at the Tree House. Bring some snacks that will go with a light, fire Third Saturday of every month Saturday, May 10 (rain date May 17) cooked, dinner that we’ll provide. Explore Andorra by moonlight. All ages. $5.00/person. Friends of Cresheim Trail conducts ongoing workdays in order to enhance the evolving trail system in the Cresheim Creek area. Meet at the entrance at Lincoln Drive and Allens Lane at Valley Talks (p. 10) • Sponsored by Valley Green Bank Edible Bugs Dinner (that’s right, bugs!) • Friday, May 16 6 – 8 pm 10 am. Participants should wear long pants, long sleeves, sturdy shoes; poison ivy is present. All Wednesday, April 23 • Wednesday, May 21 Don’t worry; you don’t have to eat them! But why not try? Learn how eating insects is not only tools, including gloves, are provided. Coffee and snacks served. Contact: [email protected] good for you, but good for the planet too. All ages. Registration required. $5.00/person. or 215-715-9159. of 5+ email and call to confirm. FOW Annual Meeting (p. 10) • Tuesday, June 3, 2014 Champion Tree Hike • Saturday, May 31 9 am – 1 pm National Trails Day (p. 4) • Saturday, June 7 Discover the Wissahickon’s PA Champion Trees. Learn what makes a tree a champ and help try to crown a new champion tree! Several miles of walking. Space is limited. All ages. Free Father’s Day Fishing • Sunday, June 15 8 – 10 am Future calendar listings for the newsletter may be HISTORIC RITTENHOUSETOWN Dads, bring your children fishing on Wissahickon Creek. Poles and bait provided. No experience placed by contacting the Friends of the Wissahickon at Historic RittenhouseTown offers classes, workshops, and events for individuals and families necessary. Participants ages 16+ need a PA fishing license if they will be actively fishing. to learn about the craft of hand papermaking and other aspects of Colonial life at the original Children ages 6 and above. Free. 215-247-0417 or [email protected]. Rittenhouse Family Homestead. Located on Lincoln Drive at Rittenhouse Street. Info. at 215-438- The Calendar of Events in the Wissahickon may also be 5711, [email protected], or www.rittenhousetown.org Bats are back! • Friday, June 20 8 - 9 pm Learn about the benefits of Pennsylvania’s bat species and the cause of their alarming drop in viewed on FOW’s website www.fow.org, numbers. Then take a hike to the creek to search for brown bats in action. All ages. Free. which contains updates on our events, including Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association WVWA offers many public programs as part of its mission to protect the quality and beauty of Summer Camp cancellations. the Wissahickon Creek and to enhance life in the Wissahickon Watershed. Located at 12 Morris Tree House Adventure Camp • June 23-27 and JuLY 7-11 • 9 am to 3 pm Road in Ambler. More events and info. at www.wvwa.org. Ages 6-10 $185 for one week RUNNING CLUBS Rain Barrel Workshop • Thursday, March 20 • 7 pm Out-N-About Camp • August 18-22 • 9 am to 3 pm Make your own take-home rain barrel and learn how to install and use it. Workshop limited to 18 Ages 11-14 $200 for one week EVERY THURSDAY participants. $30. Register at www.wvwa.org. Wissahickon Wanderers Trail Run. 3-5 miles. Starts 6:30pm Bird Watching Basics with Jamie Stewart Online registration begins Sunday, April 1, 2013, at 12 am. Space is limited to the first 25 sharp at Valley Green Inn. For updates and more info visit www. Registration limited to 12 participants. Members: $50; non-members: $75. registrants. Sibling discount: $25.00 discount is offered for each additional sibling registering for wanderersrunningclub.org. the same week. Each child may only attend one week of summer camp at WEC. If registration Saturday, April 12 • 9 - 11 am • Four Mills Reserve is full and you are interested in being on a wait list or receiving emails about WEC camp and EVERY SATURDAY Sunday, April 27 • 8 – 10 am • Willow Lake Farm Shawmont Running Club. Starts at Northwestern Ave. & programs in 2014, email [email protected]. More info at 215-685-9285. Andorra Rd. (north end of Forbidden Drive). From 2nd Saturday in Sunday, May 4 • 8 - 10 am • Briar Hill Preserve May thru 2nd Saturday in Oct. start at 7:30am. From 3rd Saturday The Wissahickon Birdathon • Friday and Saturday, May 9-10 in Oct. thru 1st Saturday in May start at 8am. Distances are at the Birding teams canvass the watershed to identify the greatest number of species within a discretion of runners. All levels welcome. Emphasis is on fun! two-day period. Check our website for updates www.fow.org www.shawmontrunningclub.com. Join us on facebook and twitter — Friends of the Wissahickon Membership Form —

  YES, I/We want to help preserve and protect the Wissahickon. Membership Level  $20 Limited Income/Students  $45 Basic  $75 Family All new members receive a map of the Wissahickon Valley. Limited  $100 Contributing*  $250 Sponsor*  $500 Patron* Income/Student members receive invitations to all events and our quarterly newsletter. Basic members receive invitations to all events; our  Society of Generous Friends*  $1000  $2500  $5000  $10,000 or above quarterly newsletter, and membership card with discounts for meals at Valley Green Inn (in the park) and FOW merchandise. Family members *Choice of: receive all benefits of Basic membership plus choice of two kids tees  Hat  T-Shirt (circle size) (S [6-8], M [10-12], L [14-16] ). Contributing members and above ($100 Children: S M L or more) receive all benefits of Basic membership plus choice of hat or T-shirt (M, L, XL).  Please keep the premium and Red Bird: Women S M • Adult L XL use the entire membership fee for the Park. Warbler & Map: Adult M L XL XXL Method of Payment Name______ Check Enclosed (payable to the Friends of the Wissahickon) Street______ Charge my City______State______Zip Code______ VISA  Mastercard  AmX  Discover

Phone (Home) ______(Work) ______E-mail______Card Number______I also want to help the Friends of the Wissahickon with: Expiration Date______ Membership  Community Outreach  Trail Repair  Clean-Up  Wildlife Signature______ Fundraising  Reforestation  Structures Repair  Education  Vine Removal Please return to: 8708 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118 • tel 215-247-0417 • [email protected] • www.fow.org Contributions to the Friends are tax deductible as permitted by current laws. The official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling, toll free, within Pennsylvania (800) 732-0999. 16