Friends of the Wissahickon

One of the most significant local #EnvironmentalJustice victories of 2020 was closing the PES refinery in South Philadelphia. Read about it here - and if you can, join The Academy of Natural Sciences and Philly Thrive today to imagine new futures for the site. http://ow.ly/h1JT50D6k2s https://www.nytimes.com//pollution-philadelphia-black-amer

Whoa there! The deadlines for applying to some awesome programs - PA Master Naturalists and PA Master Watershed Stewards - are coming up! PA Master Naturalists bring a passion for the natural world back to their community through volunteer service, and complete an intensive training course with the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist program. Apply for the program by February 1st, or Jan 15th for the early bird rate. http://ow.ly/FGsL50D6Qc6 PA Master Watershed Stewards work with the community to improve the health of our streams and rivers, and get extensive training in environmental education, advocacy, and conservation through Penn State. Find more information about and apply for the program (the deadline is TODAY!) http://ow.ly/Q60p50D6Qc7

We're taking a quick trip to our friends at Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Center today - big thank you to Tony Croasdale for this hoot of a program! #owls

"Environmental justice is an important part of the struggle to improve and maintain a clean and healthful environment, especially for those who have traditionally lived, worked and played closest to the sources of pollution." Learn more http://ow.ly/VgtO50D6jFH

Thursday goal: do some citizen science! Help FOW count critters in the Wissahickon this winter as part of our new ELM plan's habitat monitoring program, including for the National Audubon Society #ChristmasBirdCount. Read more about the program here! http://ow.ly/pEOh50COaE9 Photo: Hunter Nichols

A hard day's work in the Wissahickon.

Whoa. Let it snow...

Starting today, join our partners at The Academy of Natural Sciences for #EnvironmentalJustice Week - they'll be talking about what environmental justice looks like and the most pressing issues for Philly and our larger region. See more and sign up for events here: http://ow.ly/Y0QH50D4NcB

Wow. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, more than 500 FOW volunteers did over 8,000 hours of cleanups, trail improvements, and outreach in Wissahickon Valley Park in 2020! If you put in one hour, ten, or a hundred, we want to thank you. Your efforts make it possible for us to steward the Wissahickon - and we're so grateful to be your friends! #volunteer

We all have our own ways of staying warm for the winter - but did you know Mourning Doves eat 12 to 20 percent of their body weight per day to do so? Indulge your wildlife obsession by following the FOW Instagram for #WildlifeWednesdays with Troy Bynum! http://ow.ly/iqkQ50CN1ga

Morning mist at Houston Meadow. Photo: Steven Powell

Love Your Park Day is next Saturday, and we’re joining our partners at Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and Fairmount Park Conservancy and our park friends across the city to take care of Philly’s green spaces! Sign up for FOW’s Love Your Park Service Day on 11/14 here! https://fow.org/event/20-fall-love-your-park/

To be honest, we're very disappointed with this delay - Philadelphia's ban passed in 2019 with overwhelming support. Continually postponing it costs Philly $9m and businesses $20m per year, and makes our work getting to a #plasticfreewatershed harder, too. http://ow.ly/QyjO50D3OcB

You love the Wissahickon. We do too! This Friday, we hope you'll think about taking your friendship to the next level by becoming an FOW member. Join or renew in 2020 and we'll send you a 2021 "Trees of the Wissahickon" calendar, while supplies last! http://ow.ly/j9zg50CIVaA

What's the buzz? Join us and The Academy of Natural Sciences this afternoon for a conversation about the importance of bees, bats, and other pollinators in our area - and how to encourage them in your garden! http://ow.ly/qbHo50CLVZc

Don't wait to sign up for our next Virtual Valley Talk on the art and history of the Wissahickon, next Tuesday at 6pm! FOW Trail Ambassador Diane Garvey and Woodmere Art Museum Curator Hildy Tow will discuss how the Wissahickon's unique landscape has inspired artists for hundreds of years. Register for the event here! http://ow.ly/eotD50CdA1G Pictured: Wissahickon Valley Green, by Louis B. Sloan, 1989

Your #MaskUpMonday reminder please wear a mask in the park to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19. And don't forget to leash your dog to protect wildlife and other park users as well!

"When I was a little kid growing up in New York City, I used to play in a little copse of trees in Prospect Park and pretend I was in a forest. I love that Philadelphia is a big city that makes forest parks available to its city dwellers. I think it’s great that more people are enjoying the park these days, and I’m happy to help keep it a pleasant place for all. The Wissahickon Valley has been a favorite of mine since I moved here almost a decade ago. My husband Michael and ...I dated in the park, strolling past the Hermit Cave and climbing Livezey Rock. We trained for a backpacking honeymoon on the Yellow Trail, seeing most of the park that way. We bring our kids to play in the creek and feed the ducks and take regular photos of our growing family under Kitchen’s Lane Bridge. We’ve often thought about volunteering. This year, when the email came asking for Wissaheroes, we thought, We can do this! Any time, any place-you don’t get more convenient than that. Michael, an Eagle Scout, already tends to pick up litter when he hikes, so the kids are pretrained to spot trash on the trail. Our kids are two and four, and eager to help with whatever we do. The Wissaheroes program gives us a great opportunity to spend family time in a park we love, while also making it a better place for others. Plus, our kids will learn to share and care for the spaces that give them joy." Lonna Gordon #stewardshipstories

FOW Crew Leaders had a busy week helping Wissahickon Environmental Center- Tree House to get their Philadelphia Orchard Project food forest ready for the winter! A deer fence and some native plantings make a big difference... #fridaymood #foodforest

"It’s not complicated: I feel so lucky to live near the Wissahickon. Being in the park and around other people who also love it are among the reasons I applied last year to be a Trail Ambassador (TA). But the park has been loved to death during our collective quarantine, and sadly, a few people have left behind a lot of trash, from the forgotten bottle cap to socks to mostly empty bottles. When Shawn asked for help with the cleanup, I was delighted to have a reason to pitch... in. My fellow TA and friend, Stan Kozakowski, signed on also. It’s nice to have a buddy to share the small successes-a parking area clean of bottle caps. Cleanup is not without some pretty funny moments-like last month when Stan found a woman’s wig, still in its original packaging! When visitors stop us to say thank you, it gives us a chance to point them to FOW.org." "The Wissahickon is an everchanging natural wonder, a place of refuge in an ever-busy, crazy world. For me, a visit to the Wissahickon can create a sense of awe and connectedness to other people and something much deeper and profound. As others have come to the park seeking a getaway, some people, unfortunately, are not aware of the impact that their trash has on the park and the greater environment. Serving with others, such as Anne, has been a fun opportunity to get out of the house, spend time with friends, and make the park a cleaner and better place for generations to come. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity." Anne Silvers-Lee and Stan Kozakowski

With 50+ miles of trails in the Wissahickon, there's a lot for FOW to take care of - as our ATC Challengers can tell you! This week, we hope you consider supporting one of our 146 awesome Challengers (and the conservation of Wissahickon Valley Park) on their pages at atc.fow.org. Let's get them to the finish! #FOWAllTrails

Some Wissahickon stillness to lift your spirits.

If you haven't already, it's time to #vote today - clean air, clean water, climate, and healthy communities are on the ballot! Check your polling place at https://atlas.phila.gov/voting.

Throughout this year, we've been blown away by the efforts of FOW's longtime volunteers and new #Wissaheroes to care for this amazing park. This week, we'll be sharing their #StewardshipStories with you in gratitude for all they've done to make the Wissahickon a better place. And of course, you can join their number by signing up at fow.org/wissahero! ***** "I first discovered the Wissahickon in the summer of 2012 when a friend asked me to do a run on Forbidden Drive. Immedi...ately, I felt drawn to the park’s boundless beauty of lush forests, rugged trails, and historic structures nestled within the boundaries of the City of Philadelphia. I’m fortunate to live close to the park, which offers convenient access for trail running and the opportunity to explore distinctive sections of the visually beautiful park. My favorite trail is the Yellow Trail on the Roxborough end, where the path is smooth and windy and hidden under canopied trees. In recent years, I found myself logging many running miles in the park, so I wanted to give back and help maintain the trails I used often. Also, I wanted to commit my time in any way possible by volunteering with Friends of the Wissahickon to do trail improvement or simply picking up trash in the park. I felt it was important to share the beauty and love of the Wissahickon with others as much as I have over the years." Sophorn Choup-Duggan

High winds and rain are forecast for today! Please exercise caution if you're visiting the #Wissahickon, including on Forbidden Drive - winds & saturated ground can bring trees down. To report park damage, text WISS to 267-966-2207.

Election day is tomorrow, November 3rd! Check out the city's guide here if you've got any last-minute questions about #voting... http://ow.ly/uOhw50C8XMC

Wait, it's November already? credit to Kent Richardson!

The Wissahickon is looking BOO-tifully clean on Halloween! A huge thank you to the 78 volunteers who came out to the Trick-or-Trash Clean Up (including a group of students from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine), FOW Trail Ambassadors who handed out gloves, and cleanup sponsor Prentiss Smith and Co. - you picked up 51 bags of trash from the park, over 700 lbs! Also, we'd love to give a spooky shoutout to the winners of our kids and adults costume competition - ...Madelyn Hill rocked it as Wissahickon witch and Kristina Victoreen was a superb Spotted Lanternfly! Stay safe out there - and have a happy Halloween!

We’re getting chills from all these cool cleanup costumes! Send us a picture of yours for the competition... Also, make sure you fill out your field report form to claim some candy from The Cedars House Cafe at 12! #trickortrash https://app.smartsheet.com//1a061fd9936848319a193127f0486c

Best way to start off your morning - spooky stewardship! #TrickorTrash #halloween #wissahickon

Last chance to sign up for tomorrow's Trick-or-Trash Clean Up - don't forget your costume! There's still room at the following cleanup sites... Valley Green http://ow.ly/PsYm50C7C1r Kitchen's Lane http://ow.ly/eL0A50C7C1s Gorgas Run http://ow.ly/oX7h50C7C1q

See the full list of Halloween happenings in the Wissahickon from FOW and our partners this weekend... fow.org/halloween-happenings-2020/