There is a vibrant water conservation community growing in the Lehigh Valley. Depending on your interest and passion there are many ways for you to get involved.
The Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley is the umbrella organization for the various locally focused watersheds. In their own words:
The Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley is a non-profit association of the region’s conservation organizations, working to keep the Lehigh Valley’s streams clean and healthy. Everything we do has one goal: to preserve and improve the region’s natural resources.
Each of the watershed partners covers its own particular area. Not sure what area you live in or where you might like to get involved? You can find out at this very cool EPA site, How’s My Waterway. Just put in your address and it will identify your watershed. There’s also lots of other interesting information about the waters of your area on the site.
The Coalition and its partners all run volunteer programs throughout the year. You can find specific information on each of their websites or Facebook pages. They are currently scheduling projects and programs for the arrival of warmer weather, so check them out often or, better yet, sign up for their email list.
A few events are already scheduled and are listed at the end of this post.
The nine watershed partners in the coalition are:
Master Watershed Steward Program
In addition to the nine individual watershed programs, the Coalition also coordinates the Master Watershed Steward Program, Pennsylvania’s first program of its kind. With nearly 100 active volunteers, the program provides participants with extensive training in watershed management. 15-20 people are selected for the program each year. If you’re interested in a more intensive volunteer experience, this might be the right place for you.
Trout Unlimited
Does your passion for water conservation run more toward fish, specifically trout? Then you might want to check out Trout Unlimited. A national non-profit organization with 300,000 members in more than 387 chapters, Trout Unlimited has a number of chapters in the Lehigh Valley, including Forks of the Delaware Trout Unlimited (FODTU) based in the Bushkill and Martins Creek watersheds.
Local Trout Unlimited chapters typically partner with the local watershed groups on stream habitat projects, riparian buffer (tree) plantings, and educational activities like Trout in the Classroom. Want to learn more about what’s coming up? One event is listed below but to really stay informed, sign up for a chapter mailing list.
Upcoming Events
March 19 - 9 AM to Noon - Camp Olympic Park - Little Lehigh Watershed Stewards
LLWS is planning their spring clean-up in the creek and along the creek banks of the Little Lehigh. For additional information on how to participate, visit their website for details and a contact form.
April 30 - Forks of the Delaware Trout Unlimited
Planning is underway for the FODTU annual stream cleanup in and along the Bushkill Creek in conjunction with Earth Week on April 30. Check out the FODTU Upcoming Events page for more info as it becomes available.