RIDGE AVE. NORTHWESTERN AVE. OLD LINE RD. HENRY AVE. BELLS MILL RD. Friends of the Wissahickon Annual Report 2010 GERMANTOWN AVE. HABITAT WATER TRAILS PEOPLE STENTON AVE. Our Mission: To preserve the natural beauty and wildness of the Wissahickon and stimulate public interest therein. ALLENS LN. Officers Robert T. Vance, Jr. President John Rollins Vice-President, Planning William Whetzel Vice-President, Development Eugene Caffrey Treasurer Ari Pontz Assistant Treasurer Richard Berman Secretary Past Presidents Cynthia H. Affleck Charles D. Dilks Robert A. Lukens David P. Pope Edward C. Stainton Board Members Cynthia H. Affleck Christopher Bentley Richard Berman Mary-Helen Boothby Richard P. Brown, Jr. Eugene Caffrey Stephanie Craighead David Dannenberg Daphne Fifield Heidi Grunwald Jeffrey T. Harbison Robert Harries Cynthia Heckscher David Hilton Bettina Hoerlin Louise Johnston Courtney Kapp Charles Lee, Jr. John Meigs Elizabeth Pearson Claudia Goetz Phillips Ari Pontz John Rollins Lucia Stainton St. George Richard F. Smith, Jr. Robert T. Vance, Jr. Elizabeth Werthan William Whetzel Susan P. Wilmerding Staff Maura McCarthy Executive Director Ruffian Tittmann Development Director Audrey Simpson Business Manager Denise Larrabee Editor and Publicist Heather Davis-Jones Development Associate Staff photo by C. Nancy Evans Kevin Groves Volunteer Coordinator Zane Magnuson Development Assistant DEAR FRIENDS or 86 years, the Friends of the Wissahickon's core programming has focused on invasive F plant control, maintenance of historic park structures, natural trail maintenance and repair, and wildlife management. While we work diligently in the pursuit of healthy wildlife habitat, clean water, and sustainable trails, people and their fundamental connection to nature are at the core of our mission. FOW’s commitment to conservation in the Wissahickon is driven by our dedication to the people who use the park and the wider community that relies on the drinking water provided by the Wissahickon Creek. The members of FOW understand that the preservation of the Wissahickon Valley is essential to the health and well-being of the community that surrounds it. Wissahickon Valley Park is experiencing the biggest period of reinvestment in the park since the 1930s. Currently, several organizations are funding projects in Wissahickon Valley Park totaling $10,661,560, with an additional $20.2 million from PennDOT for work on the I-76 Ramp Removal adjacent to park land. FOW alone is investing $780,000 with our Wissahickon Stormwater Mitigation and Sediment Reduction Project, which will reduce sediment and improve water quality, protect drinking water sources, and enhance the Wissahickon Watershed habitat. By the time we conclude the Sustainable Trails Initiative, FOW will have invested another $10 million in total. This is park stewardship on a grand scale, and underscores the importance of Wissahickon Valley Park to the community. The organizations funding projects in the Wissahickon today, such as the Philadelphia Water Department and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, believe as we do that the Wissahickon is not important simply because it is a beautiful place to connect with the natural world, although it is that too. It meets a fundamental human need: clean drinking water. Indeed, that was the reason it was incorporated into Fairmount Park over 100 years ago. FOW’s work in 2010 has improved the habitat in the Wissahickon, reduced stormwater runoff into the creek, and restored trails for park users, all in service to the surrounding community and much of the work performed by members of the community. FOW vol- unteers worked 8,007 hours in 2010, labor that is valued at $166,946. But our focus on environmental sterwardship is driven by the belief that the work itself, not just the results of our labor, is valuable. Volunteer work reinforces our individual connections to each other and strengthens our community as a whole. Robert T. Vance, Jr. Maura McCarthy President Executive Director 1 HABITAT WATER TRAILS PEOPLE More Park Users Carry Out What They Carry In Trash 1.2 2006 442 2007 349 2008 310 2009 250 2010 200 1.0 Recyclables 2006 147 2007 191 2 2008 260 2009 150 HABITAT2010 100 0.8 Keeping Devil’s 12 Pool Clean 500 Recyclables Throughout the summer, the Friends 442 Trash worked with the community to keep Devil’s 400 Pool and the area surrounding it clean, 349 including posting stewardship signage in 310 English and Spanish. As a result, there are 300 250 improvements. FOW’s Trail Ambassadors visited Devil’s Pool during their patrols of 200 260 the park and attempted to educate Devil’s 200 Pool users about good stewardship and 191 proper trash disposal. A high-school volun- 147 150 teer crew from the Student Conservation 100 Association (SCA) also removed graffiti and 100 litter and educated Devil’s Pool visitors on 0 park stewardship. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Numbers in blue circles correspond with the map on page 12. More Park Users Carry oUt What they Carry In Below: FOW Audubon Advisor Toni Ann Flanigan explains the benefits of growing native mosses to Mt. Airy homeowner Kasia Janick. Opposite page, above: the high-school volunteer crew from the Student Conservation Association. Below: Students from Episcopal Academy participated in FOW’s Plant-a-thon in the fall along the STI Stage 2 Trail. 37 Audubon Advisors Protect the Wissahickon Watershed In 2010, six volunteers completed the nec- essary course work to become Audubon Advisors. There are now 37 Advisors who work in teams and conduct site visits to help homeowners plan for a more sustainable landscape that protects the watershed and is attractive to birds. These volunteers completed 29 backyard audits this year. For this program, FOW is partnering with Pennypack Greenway Partnership, Audubon Pennsylvania, and the Morris Arboretum. Plugging Away on the Orange Trail Thanks to the help of volunteers, FOW broke records in the number of trees and shrubs planted in the Wissahickon, primarily along the STI Stage 2 Trail 2 . Tree and shrub planting, primarily in the form of herbaceous plugs, is an important step for habitat restoration in impacted areas, and 17 species were planted, such as river birch, swamp white oak, silky dogwood, and steeplebush. trees, shrUbs, and herbaCeoUs PlUgs 8000 number planted 7,600 7000 6000 5000 4,480 4000 Invasive Weed Removal Shows Signs of Success 3000 Since the STI Stage 1 Trail 1 project was completed in fall 2008, FOW volunteers have performed immeasurable work to 2000 foster native plant growth and reduce invasive plants in the area. This work continued into 2010 with a focus on the hedge privet that was encroaching on 1000 native vegetation. Led by SCA summer interns Sarah Marley and Jennifer Madden 650 with the help of the SCA summer high 365 school crew and area volunteers, the 0 project is showing signs of success. Vol- unteers also removed invasive plants on 2007 2008 2009 2010 the STI Stage 2 Trail 2 , the Saul High School Gully Restoration/Trail Re-route 4 , and the Bluebell Meadow Pavilion Gully 3 Restoration/Trail Re-route 7 . 4 FOW Advances Land Protection Ordinance FOW’s Advocacy Committee focused con- siderable effort on the advancement of a Land Protection Ordinance that for the first time proposes guidelines and stan- dards to protect park land. The Ordinance, developed by the newly formed Commission Partners In habItat on Parks and Recreation, marks the first PreservatIon major initiative of the Commission which Audubon Pennsylvania passed it unanimously on January 19, 2011. Courtesy Stable Introduced initially in September 2010, the Ordinance underwent many revisions after Fairmount Park District 3 several public meetings and ongoing Friends of Carpenter’s feedback from interested parties. FOW’s Woods Advocacy Committee reviewed and com- Historic RittenhouseTown mented on multiple revisions and made several recommendations including the Monastery Stables insertion of specific language regarding Morris Arboretum environmental impact assessments, Northwestern Stables namely that these include the impact on stormwater management, natural habitat, Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti canopy preservation and noise, light, and Network water pollution. Subsequently, City Council Philadelphia Parks unanimously passed the legislation. On and Recreation April 15, Philadelphia’s Mayor Michael Nutter signed the bill into law at a special Philadelphia Sanitation ceremony held at Belmont Plateau in front Department of several park enthusiasts, including FOW’s Philadelphia Water Executive Director Maura McCarthy and Department Bettina Hoerlin, Chair of FOW’s Advocacy REI—Conshohocken Committee. It was indeed an occasion to celebrate this landmark legislation. Roots to Re-entry Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education Student Conservation Association Valley Green Canoe Club Valley Green Inn Wissahickon Environmental Action Network Wissahickon Environmental Center Wissahickon Restoration Volunteers Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association Conservation Committee The Conservation Committee reviews FOW’s projects and researches environmental issues in depth in order to help the Friends determine the course of future conservation work. In 2010, these volunteers focused on two projects currently underway in the park: the expansion of Cathedral Meadow by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and the Wissahickon Stormwater Mitigation and Sediment Reduction Project by FOW (see p.7). From Landscape Architect Carol Franklin, they learned more about Wissahickon soil and