Discover, conserve, and serve this month with TTF!

Dear Watershed Partners,

Although we're not sure if Mayor Nutter reads The Source every month, we want to give him a shout-out for his right-on comment in Grid magazine's August issue. When asked, "If there's one gigantic sustainable thing you could achieve by just saying it, what do you think it would be?" he responded: "Stop littering. That's one thing everybody can do..." We agree wholeheartedly -- all the trash that folks throw on the sidewalk or street ends up in storm drains and our creeks! So please use a trash can and do your part to protect our waterways. Tell your friends and family it's just not cool to litter.

Aldie Mansion photo by JARM13

TTF held a successful half-day retreat last month at the beautiful Aldie Mansion in Doylestown. Thank you to host Susan Myerov, TTF board member and Heritage Conservancy Senior Planner. Consider the Aldie Mansion for your next meeting or event.

Did you know that TTF has a fabulous blog? It's a great way to keep up with our work as well as the activities of our partners and lots of the sustainable goings-on here in the Philadelphia region. Recent posts include: Bird and Plant Walk Along Tacony Creek, Freshwater Mussel Surveying at Arcadia University and Touring the Wissinoming Urban Forest.

Want to be alerted every time TTF publishes a new blog post or appears in the news? Set up a Google Alert! Here's how:

1. Visit: http://www.google.com/alerts

2. Enter your query

Enter your query just as if you were doing a normal Google search. You may wish to enter several variations for TTF, including "Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership," "TTF Watershed Partnership," etc.

3. Enter your email address

4. Confirm the alert you have created

Finally, thank you to our July donors, listed below. I hope you, too, will consider a direct donation. You can also support us by ordering school supplies through our Amazon link or taking a break from this summer's heat by contracting landscaping work through Awbury Landscape Services! TTF will receive 5% of your bill. Your support is critical to our efforts!

Paul W. Beach, Jr.
Germantown Friends School
Sightlines

Hope to see you soon,

Julie Slavet, Executive Director

TTF WELCOMES ALIX HOWARD TO THE TEAM!

Alix Howard

We are excited to welcome Alixandra Howard as TTF's new Director of Education and Outreach. Alix earned a BA in Social Ecology and a Minor in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of California, Irvine. She moved to Philadelphia and started working in community development and environmental education in 2009. She comes to TTF from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (through the Partnership CDC), where she served as Green Build Coordinator. Alix's favorite thing to do is go outside, and she also loves pottery and rowing. Contact Alix at alix@ttfwatershed.org.

Alix is replacing TTF's outgoing Director of Education and Outreach, Ashley Schmid. We wish Ashley all the best on her travels!

RAIN GARDEN NEWS: OLNEY AND VERNON PARK

Black-eyed Susans in the Olney Rain Garden

We are pleased to announce that our rain garden installation at the Olney Recreation Center is complete! This garden will serve as an educational resource for local residents, students and summer campers. Stay tuned for information about a ribbon-cutting ceremony coming soon! You can stop by to see the rain garden, located behind the Rec Center at 6001 A Street in Philadelphia.

As we're sure you know, TTF and our community partners built a beautiful rain garden in Vernon Park last year.

Cardinal flowers in the Vernon Park Rain Garden

We couldn't have done it without the help of the Friends of Vernon Park. Check out their website where you can learn all about Vernon Park and how you can participate to keep the park looking great! The Friends are also planning some great events coming up next month. Look for more information in our newsletter next month! Vernon Park is located at 5818 Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia.

NEW STORMWATER PROJECTS IN OUR WATERSHED!

School rain garden installation

The Philadelphia Water Department and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation have awarded $3.2 million in grants to promote green stormwater management practices! The Stormwater Management Incentives Program is designed to be a catalyst for transforming large, commercial properties through green stormwater management practices including rain gardens, vegetated infiltration basins, porous asphalt, and green roofs.

New projects in our watershed include:

Trustees of Green Street Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia
Location: 5500 Germantown Avenue
Greene Street Friends School will de-pave and seed a 16,330 sq.ft. area and create a rain garden to manage runoff from an adjacent paved area, creating a green open space for students and the community.

School District of Philadelphia
Locations: 6100 Stenton Ave. and 2000 Wakeling Street
The School District of Philadelphia will implement stormwater management features at five schools in the city, including five rain gardens at Martin Luther King High School and two at Warren G. Harding Middle School.

Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation
Location: 4641 Roosevelt Boulevard
The Scattergood Foundation will retrofit the existing pond located on their Friends Hospital property. The pond will provide aesthetic benefits to hospital patients and will be used as an instructional facility for students.

BOARD MEMBER PROFILE: BOB THOMAS

Bob Thomas

TTF board member Bob Thomas is now the president of the Philadelphia Parks Alliance board of directors. Bob is a founding partner of Campbell Thomas & Co., an architectural firm founded in 1976 and noted for historic preservation, energy conscious design, community development, greenways, accessible design and appropriate technology. Bob specializes in historic preservation, energy-conscious designs, community development and greenways. Learn more about Bob on the TTF website.

The mission of the Philadelphia Parks Alliance is to champion the public's interest in outstanding parks, recreation and open spaces, key to making Philadelphia a healthy, vibrant and sustainable city for all. Learn more about the Philadelphia Parks Alliance here.

NEWS ON CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP'S RIPARIAN BUFFER ORDINANCE

Healthy riparian buffers provide vital protection for our waterways. Cheltenham Township will host two educational meetings about a proposed ordinance to protect the riparian corridor along the Tookany Creek and its tributaries by regulating permitted activities within the corridor. You can check out the draft Riparian Corridor Conservation District Ordinance in the Document Center under "Administration" at www.cheltenhamtownship.org.

TTF, along with Township officials, the Cheltenham Environmental Advisory Council and the Montgomery County Planning Commission will present information about the proposed ordinance and answer questions. The first meeting will be held on Thursday, August 23 at 7:00 p.m. at Curtis Hall, located at 1250 W. Church Road in Wyncote, and the second on Tuesday, September 18 at 7:00 p.m. at Glenside Hall, located at 185 S. Keswick Avenue in Glenside.

EASY WAYS TO CONSERVE WATER THIS SUMMER!

In this scorching hot summer, we know you are feeling the temptation to run through sprinklers, open up fire hydrants and fill your inflatable pools -- but water conservation is especially important in weather like this!

We came across this great list of 100+ water conservation tips in the iConservePA newsletter.

Here are just a few you may not have considered:

Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost vegetable food waste instead and save gallons every time.
Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.
When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your plants.
Don't use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in the refrigerator for water efficiency and food safety.
Turn off the water while you wash your hair to save up to 150 gallons a month.

We hope you can stay cool this summer (without wasting water!). Check out the entire list of conservation tips here!

AUGUST EVENTS

Please note: Outdoor events are canceled in the case of heavy rain. Please check the TTF Events page for updated information.

August 11 & August 30: Freshwater Mussel Surveying

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Join TTF for some fun-filled hours of mussel surveying! Learn about freshwater mussels and put on waders to search for them in the creek. This event is part of a Partnership for the Delaware Estuary project. Learn why mussels are important here. Read about our work with mussels here. Food is included!

DATE: Saturday, August 11, 2012
TIME: 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
PLACE: Meet in Tacony Creek Park at the intersection of Adams Avenue and Newtown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19120 (near the intersection of Adams Avenue and Crescentville Road).
CONTACT: Steph Clymer at steph@ttfwatershed.org or 215-844-8100

DATE: Thursday, August 30, 2012
TIME: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
PLACE: Meet in the front parking lot of Friends Hospital, 4641 Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19124.

CONTACT: Steph Clymer at steph@ttfwatershed.org or 215-844-8100

August 18 & 27: Tree Surveying in West Oak Lane!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Join TTF to survey West Oak Lane neighborhoods for spots where trees will be planted! We're looking for volunteers of all ages who are interested in greening West Oak Lane. Food is included, as well as a FREE TreePhily tote bag while supplies last!

DATE: Saturday, August 18, 2012
TIME: 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

PLACE: Simons Recreation Center, 7200 Woolston Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19138.

CONTACT: Abby Grosslein at abby@ttfwatershed.org or 215-844-8100

DATE: Monday, August 27, 2012
TIME: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

PLACE: St. Athanasius Schoolyard, 7105 Limekiln Pike, Philadelphia PA 19138.

CONTACT: Abby Grosslein at abby@ttfwatershed.org or 215-844-8100

August 23: Cheltenham Riparian Buffer Ordinance Meeting
TTF, along with Township officials, the Cheltenham Environmental Advisory Council and the Montgomery County Planning Commission will present information about the proposed ordinance and answer questions.
DATE: Thursday, August 23 at 7:00 p.m.
PLACE: Curtis Hall, located at 1250 W. Church Road in Wyncote, PA
CONTACT: Nancy Gibson at NGibson@cheltenham-township.org

Partner Events

August 7: Lower Northeast District Community Meeting

Planners from the Philadelphia City Planning Commission will present the new draft of the District Plan and answer any questions. Learn about the Frankford Creek Greenway, Frankford Artisan District, transit on the Boulevard, Castor Avenue improvements and
zoning changes. In addition, artists and artisans who call Globe Dye Works home will share their work and refreshments will be provided.

DATE: Tuesday, August 7, 2012

TIME: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

PLACE: Globe Dye Works, 4500 Worth Street, Philadelphia PA 19124

CONTACT: Ian Litwin at ian.litwin@phila.gov or 215.683.4609

August 14 - 16: Riparian Buffer Workshops

Heritage Conservancy and the Montgomery County Planning Commission will present data from work completed on re-evaluating the status of riparian buffers within six watersheds in Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties for approximately 1,500 miles of mapped streams. Workshop locations and dates below.

DATE: Tuesday, August 14, 2012

TIME: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

PLACE: Lower Fredrick Township Municipal Building, 53 Spring Mount Road, Zieglerville, PA 19492

CONTACT: Susan Myerov at (215) 345-7020 x 101 or smyerov@heritageconservancy.org.

DATE: Wednesday, August 15, 2012

TIME: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

PLACE: Whitpain Township Municipal Building, 960 Wentz Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422

CONTACT: Susan Myerov at (215) 345-7020 x 101 or smyerov@heritageconservancy.org.

DATE: Thursday, August 16, 2012

TIME: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

PLACE: Aldie Mansion, 85 Old Dublin Pike, Doylestown, PA 18901

CONTACT: Susan Myerov at (215) 345-7020 x 101 or smyerov@heritageconservancy.org.

View more upcoming events on our Events Calendar!

TTF's mission is to enhance the health and vitality of the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Creek and its watershed. We initiate and support efforts to restore the health of the watershed, and to mobilize our communities as watershed stewards through community outreach, networking, educational programs, and projects.

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

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