TTF November Newsletter

Dear Watershed Partners,

October turned out to be quite a busy month for TTF, with plantings at Cedarbrook Middle School, our ongoing work at Vernon Park and our first Love Your Watershed event at Tacony Creek Park. With our expanded staff through the AmeriCorps VISTA program, we were even able to hold simultaneous events on October 18.

Coming up in November, don't miss Love Your Park: Fall Edition at Vernon Park on November 5 and our major street tree planting in Germantown on November 18! We'll also be continuing our monthly Love Your Watershed series in Tacony Creek Park on November 19. For information on these events and more, check out our events calendar!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped TTF with a generous donation over the last month. Your contributions help us to fulfill our mission of protecting and enhancing the health and vitality of our creek and watershed.

Thank you to our October donors:

Sue and Robert Finch

Friends of Vernon Park

Tim Smigelski-Ries

Center in the Park

Christopher and Helen B. Nicholson

Ruth Seeley

John Walber
Albert Yee

You can donate to TTF here -- and remember, everyone who donates $100 or more will receive a free Earthlust water bottle!

RIPARIAN BUFFER PLANTED AT CEDARBROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL

Students plant the riparian buffer.

With support from an anonymous funder, the ERM Foundation and TreeVitalize, TTF is working to create a riparian buffer along Rock Creek, a tributary of the Tookany Creek located behind Cedarbrook Middle School. This riparian buffer restoration project addresses the serious environmental issues of creek bed degradation, stream bank erosion, invasive species proliferation, stormwater runoff and non-point source pollution. Our work started with removal of Japanese knotweed and Phragmites, two invasive species in the area. After clearing litter from the area and digging holes, we worked with seventh grade science teachers Karen Shaffran and Debi DiBattista, Nancy Minich of NAM Planning and Design, LLC, and 175 students to plant hundreds of native trees and shrubs along the creek. Students worked hard and learned about botany, ecology, and stormwater management. Stay tuned for more news of boardwalk and signage installation and a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the spring!

FIRST LOVE YOUR WATERSHED DAY A SUCCESS!

Sonia Olmeda and Virginia Martinez from PA State Senator Tartaglione's office and TTF at Love Your Watershed Day

On October 22, TTF hosted the first of our monthly "Love Your Watershed" events along the Tacony Creek on the Friends Hospital property. During this event, the Thomas Scattergood Foundation hosted a stream cleanup. We provided free materials about stormwater management, an enviroscape demonstration, and knowledgeable staff to answer questions about the health of our watershed. Aaron Slater from the Energy Coordinating Agency taught attendees about rain barrels. David Hewitt and Ned Barnard led visitors on a walk along the creek to learn about the tree species present. Come on out and join us for our next event on November 19!

HELP TTF PLANT TREES IN GERMANTOWN!

Street Tree Planting in Germantown

On November 18 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., TTF will be working with volunteers to plant dozens of street trees in Germantown, thanks to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and TreeVitalize. TTF runs the Wingohocking Tree Tenders and we are always looking for more enthusiastic volunteers to join us. Please note: You do NOT have to be physically capable of planting trees to help out. We also need picture-takers and people to hand out tree care information. To join us on November 18 or for future tree planting events, please contact Steph Clymer at 215-844-8100 or [email protected].

newsletter naming contest still on!

TTF is looking for a name for our monthly newsletter and we want YOUR input! We've already received some great suggestions, but the TTF staff will not be choosing a winner until the end of the year. Keep sending your suggestions to Katie Donnelly at [email protected]. The creator of the winning name will win a beautiful Earthlust water bottle and a TTF bumper sticker!

Help our watershed: Compost your fall leaves!

Leaves Is your lawn still covered in fall leaves? Unfortunately, there's no way to avoid raking, as fall leaves will otherwise end up clogging our storm drains and contributing to flooding problems. But you don't have to bag them up and off to a landfill. You can compost them instead!

Fall is a great time to start composting if you aren't doing so already. Leaves are high in carbon, and you save them for later on next year when your garden needs a carbon infusion.

Here is a comprehensive guide to compost fall leaves -- note that chopping and mixing leaves with other organic matter will speed decomposition time. You can also use your fall leaves to make leaf mulch for your garden.

Just remember to be careful composting when composting certain leaves! Find a list of what to avoid here.

Urban dwellers interested in composting but lacking outdoor space can help, too! Whether you have a lawn or not, please make sure storm drains are free from leaves and debris. And while Philadelphia doesn't yet have curbside compost pick-up, you can keep your kitchen scraps out of landfills by joining a composting service. Let us know your favorite composting service and we'll list them in our next newsletter.

UPCOMING EVENTS

NOVEMBER EVENTS

November 2: Womrath Park Community Update Meeting
Womrath Park will be the site of a new garden that will collect rainwater and allow it to filter into the ground. Bring a lunch and join us for an update on the design plans for Womrath Park and a tour of the site. We hope to see you there!
DATE: Wednesday, November 2, 2011
TIME: 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.
PLACE: Womrath Park: at Adams Ave, Frankford Ave and Kensington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19124
CONTACT: Ashley Schmid at [email protected] or 215.514.3952

November 5: LOVE Your Park at Vernon Park!
We are pleased and honored to announce that Vernon Park will be the signature site for the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and Pennsylvania Horticultural Society LOVE Your Park: Fall Edition event on Saturday, November 5, when we will complete and celebrate our rain garden installation. Mayor Michael Nutter, Deputy Mayor/Parks & Recreation Commissioner Michael DiBerardinis and Philadelphia Water Department Commissioner Howard Neukrug will be speaking at this event. Please join us!
DATE: Saturday, November 5, 2011
TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
PLACE: 5818 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia PA
Contact: Lesley Saliga at 215-704-3859 or [email protected]

November 5: Parkview Riparian Buffer Planting [Partner Event]
Please come and help plant a riparian buffer in Cheltenham Township! No experience is needed! We will teach you how to plant the trees and shrubs. Bring: Gloves, shovel and a friend!
DATE: Saturday, November 5, 2011
TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
PLACE: Meet at Parkview Park at the corner of Parkview Road and Front Street in Cheltenham
CONTACT: If you have any questions, please contact Barb Duffy at 215-885-1506

November 12: Breyer Court Riparian Buffer Planting [Partner Event]
Volunteers needed to help plant trees to create a riparian buffer at Breyer Court! Please bring shovels and gloves.
DATE: Saturday, November 12, 2011
TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
PLACE: Breyer Court, Old York Road just before Township Line Road in Cheltenham
CONTACT: David Collins at 215-570-4822

November 18: Tree Planting in Germantown
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! As part of the TreeVitalize program, TTF will be planting street and yard trees in Germantown. You do not have to be physically capable of planting trees to be involved. We also need picture-takers and people to hand out tree care information. Please join us!
DATE: Friday, November 18, 2011
TIME: 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
PLACE: Meet at 6211 Chew Avenue (Reverend Williams' House)
CONTACT: Steph Clymer at [email protected] or 215.844.8100

November 19: Love Your Watershed Day!
TTF is hosting a monthly Love Your Watershed series along the Tacony Creek on the Friends Hospital property. These events will be chock full of resources for watershed stewards. Philadelphia residents can sign up for a FREE rain barrel or downspout planter! Enjoy activities for kids and tour improvements in the Tacony Creek Park!
DATE: Saturday, November 19, 2011
TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
PLACE: Meet at 4641 Roosevelt Boulevard at the Thomas Scattergood Foundation on the Friends Hospital Property
CONTACT: Ashley Schmid at [email protected]

November 19: Cheltenham E-waste Drive [Partner Event]
Acceptable items include anything with a plug: desktop computing, printers, peripherals, audio/video equipment, mainframes, and household items like microwaves, air-conditioners and vacuum cleaners. In addition, mobile devices like cell phones and Blackberry/PDAs, storage equipment like video/audio tapes, CDs, thumb drives, motherboards and network cards will also be accepted.

DATE: Saturday, November 19, 2011

TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

PLACE: Cheltenham High School parking lot, located at 500 Rices Mill Road in Wyncote

CONTACT: For more information, call 215-887-1000, ext. 330 or 335.

Really like to plan ahead? Check out our online calendar for more amazing events next month and watch your inbox for the TTF December Newsletter!

Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, Inc.
phone: 215-844-8100 email: [email protected] web: www.ttfwatershed.org

DONATE TO TTF!