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Mehoopany Creek Watershed Association PO Box 73 Mehoopany PA 18629 [email protected]

Spring 2018 Newsletter

Please Join Us! Trout Day Fundraiser April 14th, Forkston Four Corners 8 am til 1 pm Litter Pickup Earth Day April 22!! Meet at Henry Lott Parking Lot 9AM Need more information? Email [email protected] The PFBC has scheduled trout stockings April 13th and 17th. Remember to stop by and see us at our annual fundraiser. We’ll have our usual yummy Trout Day menu, our MCWA outdoor wear and locally crafted wildlife clocks. Feel free to renew your membership today or on Trout Day! We look forward to hearing about the big one that got away! This year’s newsletter focuses on our changing environment and what we can do. If you feel inspired, we’d love to have you join with us! We hope you enjoy this issue and we’ll see you soon!

President’s Message Hello Members! By the time you are all reading this, hopefully Spring will have arrived. It has been a rather cold and snowy winter thus far, and I for one am ready for it to be over. However, it has been a good year for ice fishing, so I can’t complain too much about the cold. Our Roger’s Hollow Stream Restoration project is still in the works even though we haven’t been able to break ground on it yet. As of now we are anticipating the issuance of our permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. We continued with our liming applications again this year, placing it along the Coal Mine Road in SGL 57, to help reduce the effects of the acid mine drainage coming out of the old coal mine. This should help improve the waters of Red Brook, Stony Brook, and eventually Mehoopany Creek. To check the conditions of the streams we began water quality monitoring this year. We selected multiple sites within our watershed to test monthly for pH, conductivity, and temperature. With this data we will be able keep tabs on the health of our watershed and possibly locate any sources of pollution entering the streams. We continue to have our spring and fall litter pickups. If you are interested in helping, we meet at the Henry Lott Parking Lot on Windy Valley Road. Check our Facebook page for dates and times. As always, our big fundraiser for the year is Trout Day at Forkston’s Four Corners on April 14th. Hopefully some of you caught our segment on Pennsylvania Outdoor Life last spring. There’s nothing like finding out five minutes ahead of time that you’re going to be filmed for a TV show. I’m sure glad I was able to

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catch a couple trout for the camera. We really appreciated Don Jacobs stopping by and spending some time with us and helping get our message out there. So if you need a snack on opening day or just want to stop in and shoot the breeze for a while, we’ll be there bright and early. Our meetings are the 3rd Thursday of every month (except December) at the Forkston Municipal Building. Stop by and share some new ideas or concerns you may have about our watershed. We would like to see some new faces, plus there is usually a dessert to enjoy! I can also be reached anytime via email at [email protected]. Kyle Ziegler President

Here’s our crew grabbing samples from Stoney Brook.

Water Quality Monitoring

Our water quality monitoring program needed a recharge and so with the assistance of Penn State Extension’s Watershed Stewards we had a field day of schooling on a variety of testing that we could do on our streams. We met at Creek Junction Park on a beautiful June day and commenced with our stream sampling workshop. Elizabeth Rosser, Educator: Master Gardener & Master Watershed Steward Coordinator along with several Watershed Stewards gave us instruction on the finer points of determining what to consider in stream side sampling. The day ended on a good note, we discovered the water quality on that day was better than we expected!

Sara is testing oxygen levels in Stoney Brook, a receiving stream for abandoned mine drainage (from Red Brook).

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EPCAMR Grant We had a nice unexpected surprise this past summer. As long as we’ve been liming the South Branch, we’ve had a desire to do some direct work on Red Brook our known AMD stream that is responsible for some impairment of our watershed’s water quality. We never had any way to access that area. If you’re unfamiliar with Red Brook, it is impacted by AMD that flows directly out of the coal mine in SGL57. John Levitsky, Luzerne County Conservation’s Watershed Specialist has been successful improving the headwaters of Bowman’s Creek and he wondered if we’d be interested in addressing some headwaters impacts with lime. Specifically, Red Brook! Needless to say, we were very excited at the prospect. John gave a presentation at our meeting and we decided to see what we might do. We applied to EPCAMR for another grant to address AMD with liming and we were successful. We have several partners in this project: Luzerne County Conservation District, PA Department of Environmental Protection and Pennsylvania Game Commission. We are in process of addressing Red Brook with a passive lime treatment. We’ll keep you updated. Our goal is to improve aquatic life habitat and improve trout fishing. Downstream from our proposed project area, this is what Red Brook looks like. We’re hoping to see this improve from the passive treatment.

The Osprey By Marilyn Stark

In 1976, the osprey was listed as Endangered. In 1983, it was downgraded to Threatened. However, now because of increasing populations and range, it has achieved the Management Plan of the Pennsylvania Game Commission to have 50 nesting pairs with 10 nesting pairs in each of four watersheds in the Commonwealth for two consecutive surveys. Thus, obtaining a “Protected” status which means it is protected understate statues and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. There is a $2500 replacement cost for persons who unlawfully kill ospreys. Presently, there are 149 nesting pairs with 10 nesting pairs in six watersheds. The osprey is often called “the fish hawk” as it primarily feeds on fish. It is the only raptor that can plunge into the water so that it is completely submerged. Ospreys nest along coastal waters, inland lakes, rivers, marshes, etc. They have been seen by fishermen along the Susquehanna River. If you live or amble along our lakes, ponds, or our Mehoopany creek and see a hawk like bird with a white underside, brownish black on the wings, a white head with a brown streak down the cheek, you can count yourself very fortunate to have seen an osprey. For more information, go the Pennsylvania Game Commission website under osprey. Pro-Pollution Environmental Roll backs Keeping track of the federal government’s aim to roll back environmental rules could in itself be a full-time job. In a January, 2018 NY Times article, they have noted that 33 rules have been overturned, 24 rollbacks are in process, and 10 rollbacks are in limbo. That’s a total of 67

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environmental rules that protect our water, air, land, endangered species and even worker’s safety eliminated. This list is so large; to display a chart would take more than a full page in our annual newsletter. As conservationists, outdoor recreationalists, and environmentalists this list is an environmental nightmare. Our administrative and legislative branches are disregarding history of why environmental regulations came about, history of the accomplishments our country as made as a result of environmental regulations and improvements in public health. Pennsylvania’s legacy timber industry contributes to this day to sediment and erosion issues in Mehoopany Creek Watershed; legacy mining industry is responsible for 5,500 miles of AMD streams including Red Brook. These are lasting impacts from more than 100 years ago. Donora, Pennsylvania site of the 1948 deadly air quality disaster resulted in 20 deaths and 7,000 people sickened. So, as the federal government continues on this fast and furious move to deregulate for corporate interests at the risk of our public health and environment, the question we need to be asking is, are they looking 70-100 years into the future? Our state is also in the fast and furious mode. While it actually commenced prior to the federal government’s fast track, the state has actually picked up speed. Just recently MCWA signed on with 21 other Pennsylvania based organizations, Pennsylvania partners in the Clean Water Coalition opposing a package of five Pennsylvania House bills that in essence will destroy our regulatory framework as we know it today. This is an election year. Since we are a 501(c)3 organization, we aren’t able to advocate on behalf of any candidate. But, still, we can encourage awareness of how our senators, congressmen and Pennsylvania legislators are voting. We need to know whether their votes are reflecting our values as conservationists, outdoor recreationalists and environmentalists. Please ask your senator and congressman to support the RECLAIM ACT.

Links: https://www.sierraclub.org/pennsylvania/environmentalscorecard https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/03/how-trumpis-changing-science-environment/ https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/05/climate/tr ump-environment-rules-reversed.html http://epcamr.org/home/2016/without-mcconnell-hopedimming-mine-cleanup-bill/

Another Bad Bug By Marilyn Stark

We have experienced the destruction of the Gypsy Moth, the Wooly Adelgid, and Emerald Ash beetles. Now fruit trees, grapes, and hardwoods such as maple are threatened by the Spotted Lanternfly. It would mean a tremendous loss in billions of dollars to agriculture and the logging industry. The Spotted Lanternfly was first found in Berks County in 2014. Presently, a state imposed quarantine in 13 counties in South Eastern Pennsylvania regulates or limits the movement of plants, plant based materials, and household items outside the quarantined area. A native of China, Japan, Vietnam, and India, it feeds on the woody parts of plants such as tree trunks, branches, and vines – not the fruit or foliage. Deep wounds are inflicted by its deep sucking mouth parts. A substance, known as honeydew, is secreted. These wounds weep sap. The honeydew and sap attract other insects which provide a medium for fungi growth such as sooty mold. This mold covers leaf surfaces and stunts growth. To control this insect, research on insecticides, development of bio-controls and natural enemies has begun by many entities. Early detection is important. If you spot this invasive insect, report it to the PA Ag. Dept. and kill it by putting it in alcohol or hand sanitizer. For more detailed information Google the PA Department Agriculture or the Penn State Extension under Spotted Lanternfly.

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Tap For Sap

What’s for Breakfast?

By Ron Furman

It is that time of the year to make maple syrup. We usually tap the maple trees around President’s Day Weekend. Perfect conditions are in the 40’s during the day and mid 20’s during the night. The rising temperature creates pressure in the tree which generates the flow of sap. Generally the sap flows for 4 – 6 weeks. A maple tree must be at least 12” in diameter to tap. Tree’s 12-20” – 1 tap, 21-27” - 2 taps and greater than 27” - 3 taps. Sugar maple has the highest sugar content followed by black, red and silver maple. We drill a hole 1 ½ to 2” deep depending on style of taps. It is time to pull the taps when the tree’s start to bud out. The sap becomes bitter and milky looking. Now that the trees are tapped the hard/fun work begins. It usually takes 40 gals of sap to make 1 gal of syrup. It all depends on the sugar content. We actually had a ratio of 70 to 1 in 2017 due to the weather being warm too early. We still do the old way with a wood fire and a stainless steel pan (2’ wide x 4’ long x 6” deep. Depending on how much sap it could take all day to boil. You boil the sap until it starts to get thick. A good method to tell if it is done is to take a spoon of syrup. The syrup will stick to the spoon and apron as it runs off. We run the warm syrup through cheesecloth to filter then put in mason jars. Once you open a jar you need to refrigerate it. Sap is also good to drink like water. It needs to be boiled to kill bacteria then chilled before drinking. When making maple syrup you do not add anything. It is just pure sap from the tree. Maple syrup is good on a lot of various foods. Ice cream my favorite, brussel sprouts, carrots, in tea or coffee, pancakes, salad dressings and whatever else you want to sweeten. The best part of making maple syrup is having family and friends together. The grandchildren love helping out. We are the 3rd generation in the Furman Family to continue this tradition. Check out: https://extension.psu.edu/from-the-woodsmaple-syrup-a-taste-of-nature

Most of us probably aren’t thinking about climate change while we’re enjoying a nice stack of pancakes smothered in Maple Syrup produced right here in our watershed, but maybe we should. According to the “2015 Pennsylvania Climate Impacts Assessment Update,” the red and sugar maple are classified as most likely to decline substantially due to vulnerability to climate change. According to the “2015 PA DCNR and Climate Change: Planning for the Future,” climate change is already evident within the Commonwealth. Some of these effects are already apparent within Mehoopany Creek Watershed; higher temperatures, increasing precipitation, more flood events, decreasing snow cover and environmental stressors such as invasive species like the emerald ash borer and woolly adelgid beetle. Joshua Rapp, a scientist at Harvard Forest, MA is studying the effects of climate change on maple syrup availability and quality. He’s collecting long term records on sap flow and sap sugar content from across New England. New England produces 67% of the nation’s maple syrup. In 2017, Pennsylvania ranked 8. Somerset County is the largest maple syrup producing county in the state. But what is a uniquely North American product is also an exceptionally picky one, dependent on a narrow and highly specialized climate of freezing nights and mild days. In the 1950s and 60s, eighty percent of the world’s maple syrup came from the U.S., 20 percent from Canada. Today it’s the opposite. And it’s less sweet. “Just fifty years ago a sugar maple’s sap was four percent sugar, now it’s two,” says Barry Rock, a leading forest scientist and Professor of Natural Resources at the University of New Hampshire who has studied sugar maples for over 25 years. Rock says there is a “direct correlation” between sweetness reduction and temperature rise since 1970. “Because of the lower sugar content, more sap is needed to bring the maple syrup to its required 66.9 percent sugar

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content in the finished product. So while it used to take 25 gallons of sap to make a gallon of pure maple syrup, it now takes 50,” he says. So the next time you’re enjoying a nice stack of pancakes smothered in maple syrup, talk with your companions about maple syrup and climate change. Our elected officials need to take this to heart; it’s eventually going to affect our food supply.

Earth Day Litter Pickup Our semi-annual outing along Windy Valley Road from Henry Lott Parking area to Camp Earl was a success again! Our crew met on Earth Day morning and gave back by picking up discarded treasures that were blighting our scenic South Branch Mehoopany Creek. We’re picking up again this year on April 22nd, so feel free to join us!

Read more about maple syrup and climate change: http://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-change-maple-syrup-20178 http://theplate.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/02/global-warmingpushes-maple-trees-syrup-to-the-brink/

Mehoopany Creek Watershed Association President. Kyle Ziegler Vice President, Dennis Mingus Treasurer, Dave Krafjack Secretary, Marilyn Stark http://mehoopanycreek.org/ Meetings: 3rd Thursday Monthly Except December. 7PM Forkston Twp Building 244 Bowman Hollow Road

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Mehoopany Creek Watershed Association, PO Box 73, Mehoopany PA 18629

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