Conservation in Your Community
An update from the Berks County Conservancy
September 11, 2009
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In This Issue
Upcoming Events
Berks County Conservancy awarded grant for water quality
What are you doing to GO GREEN?
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Greetings!
Welcome to "Conservation in Your Community," our tool to keep you regularly informed of the Berks County Conservancy's conservation projects in your backyard.  We work hard every day to help keep Berks a special place to live and expect that you'll enjoy learning more about this important work through Enews.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, September 19th, 2009
Antietam Lake Plant Identification Walk
10:00am-12:00pm
Antietam Lake
 
Join Professor of Biology at Albright College Susan Munch, and Berks County Conservancy's Senior Ecologist Larry Lloyd, as we spend the morning learning to identify plants and trees around the trails of Antietam Lake. The trails around the lake are perfect for exploring and getting to know local plants, from mosses on up to oak trees. Please call our office at 610-372-4992 to register and for directions.

Sunday, September 20th, 2009
Greater Reading Trail System Presentation
2:00pm-3:00pm
Heritage Center Barn
Grings Mill Recreation Center
1102 Red Bridge Road, Reading

In addition to all of the wonderful parks and recreation spots in Berks County, we invite you to learn about the Greater Reading Trail Partnership and the Berks Conservancy's efforts to enhance recreational opportunities in our community. Projects and trails to be highlighted include Wyomissing Creek Park/Trail, Angelica Creek Greenway & Trail, Neversink Mountain Preserve, and the Antietam to Pendora Trail. Receive up to date maps, trail photos and descriptions to explore these resources on your own.
Berks County Conservancy awarded grant to improve water quality of Manatawny creek in Oley
The Berks County Conservancy was awarded $75,000 from the Schuylkill River Watershed Restoration Fund supported by Exelon Nuclear, which operates the Limerick Generating Station. This fund distributes money to nonprofit organizations working to improve water quality in the Schuylkill River Watershed, and is administered by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area. 
 
The focus of this grant will be the Guntz Farm in Oley. We will institute Best Management Practices at the farm, located at the confluence of the Little Manatawny and Manatawny creeks. The Manatawny Creek flows into the Schuylkill River. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are methods designed to prevent or reduce water pollution. For more information about BMPs, visit our website.
 
This funding will help pay for a manure storage facility, streambank fencing and a cattle crossings, as well as barnyard run-off controls. These BMPs will improve the water quality of the streams by minimizing stream bank erosion and prevent manure and excess nutrients from entering the stream. 
 
Photo: Kim Murphy, President of the Berks County Conservancy, comments on the grant project.
What are you doing to GO GREEN?
Berks County Conservancy SOTE
The Berks County Conservancy is working on a new project  - The State of the Environment for Berks County. This report will be released to the community at a breakfast event on November 19th. Topics in the report will include water and air quality, land use, and energy and waste measurements.
 
Our goal of this program is to encourage a greener community through simple, everyday choices people make that effect the quality of life in Berks County. The report will contain actionable data and will provide readers with new ideas to try on their own.
  
We need real life stories on how you are making a difference in your home, work or school. We want to feature local stories in the publication so others can learn from what you are doing. We will select contributors to be featured in our State of the Environment Report. Please send your stories to kim.lewis@berks-conservancy.org.  
 
SAVE THE DATE! November 19th State of the Environment Breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Reading.
Are you a member of the Berks County Conservancy?  As a non-profit organization we are supported in part by contributions from our members.  Become a member today for as little as $25 per year and help keep Berks County a special place to live, work, and play.  Remember the Conservancy Store for unique gift-giving ideas!  We're Saving a Place for You...
Your friends at the Berks County Conservancy