NPC is very proud to share that your Executive Director, Renee’ Carey, was recently presented the 2020 Dr. Joseph Trimble Rothrock Conservationist of the Year Award by the Pennsylvania Forestry Association (PFA).

Renee’, has served PFA in many capacities as a board member and volunteer supporting forest, land, and water conservation. In 2019 Renee’ celebrated 25 years with the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy where she is currently the executive director. She is widely respected for her work ethic, passion for conservation, and leadership in the conservation community. The plaque she received read, “Renee’ consistently demonstrates her commitment to conservation of land, forests, and water and the communities that depend on wise resource use. She actively seeks partnerships with state agencies, county conservation districts, non-profit organizations, and landowners to protect and conserve natural resources for recreation and jobs today and to allow future generations similar opportunities. She is known for encouraging and guiding people to steward natural resources with the vision to nourish communities. Her passion for this work clearly emulates the values she shares with Dr. Rothrock’s concern for natural resource stewardship.

The Pennsylvania Forestry Association

Each year the Association recognizes an individual, organization or group’s significant contributions to the public recognition of the importance of Pennsylvania’s forest resources in the same tradition and spirit of Dr. Joseph T. Rothrock. 

Dr. Rothrock served as the first president of PFA and earned the title, “Father of Forestry in Pennsylvania,” through his untiring efforts to promote the forest conservation movement in Pennsylvania.

Nominees for the Award were evaluated on the following three criteria:

• Value of contributions to the continued conservation of Pennsylvania’s forest resource;
• Public recognition and stature of the individual in the field of resource conservation; and
• Other Unique or special considerations which demonstrate a long term commitment to conservation.

Renee’ was nominated by Dennis Ringling, Marc Lewis, and Roy Siefert. Renee’ would like to thank these individuals for their nomination and the PFA for honoring her with this award.

I am both humbled and honored to receive the Rothrock Conservationist of the Year Award. I have been so proud to serve our communities and help champion the conservation efforts of NPC for the past 26 years. I look forward to many more years to come!

Renee’ Carey, NPC Executive Director

By: Susan Sprout

Find out what’s underfoot with NPC member and environmental educator, Susan Sprout! Catch up on past issues of Underfoot: Introduction & Bloodroot, Trout Lily & Coltsfoot, Blue Cohosh & Dutchman’s Breeches, Ground Ivy & Forget-Me-Nots, Goldthread & Wild Ginger, Common Mullein & Sweet Woodruff, Aniseroot & Butterfly Weed, Myself , Jewelweed & Soapwort, American Pennyroyal & Great Lobelia, Boneset & Common Ragweed, Pokeweed & Blue Chicory, Prickly Cucumber & Wintergreen, Beech Drops & Partridge Berry, Pipsissewa & Nostoc.

Witch Hazel
When English colonists were introduced to this native shrub, they called it Witch Hazel. Hazel for the familiar trees they left in their homeland and Witch from the Anglo-Saxon root “wy” that means to twist or bend. Right now, this amazing deciduous shrub is blooming!

Look for their yellow fall leaves on thin branches in moist, rocky woods. I saw lots along Highland Lake Road. But hurry. Their egg-shaped, coarsely-toothed leaves fall when they bloom, and you can get a better view of the four pale yellow, strap-shaped petals.

The flowers occur in bunches of three below the leaves. Sometimes, last spring’s seed capsules are still firmly attached near them. After this autumn’s blooms are pollinated by a variety of insects, fruit grows during the following spring. Inside the capsule two chambers develop, each with an individual seed. When mature, the seeds are forcibly shot out as the woody capsule splits open. The noise it makes gives the shrub another common name – Snapping Hazel.

The seeds will lie dormant where they land for two years before germinating. My bottle of distilled Witch Hazel is sitting on my desk right now as a reminder of the wonderful medicinal uses of the tincture made from its leaves and bark. Astringent and cooling on bruises, in cosmetic preparations, and ointments for hemorrhoids. There are four native species in America. Our local species is Hamamelis virginiana.

Click here to get to know Susan Sprout!

As Todd’s picture demonstrates, the 2020 instream construction season for the Northcentral Stream Partnership looked a little different than in the past. Sure, there were hardhats and ear protection, but this year there were also masks. The Conservation Districts, PA Fish and Boat and PA DEP worked to get the logs drilled and rebar in, but there weren’t any volunteers helping out.

We changed things up so we could still work to stabilize stream banks and improve local water quality. And we improved local water quality on over 2 miles of stream at over 9 different properties.

Changes were made to reduce the possible spread of COVID-19 and to try and keep everyone safe. However, the stream partnership worked together (like they always do) to figure out how to work with those changes and still get streambanks stabilized.

Given how many things didn’t go as planned this year, everyone in the stream partnership is amazed at how much we got done. There were hiccups along the way. One project had 2 skid steers break down and a track come off the third. There was also the project that a boulder (the size of a Mini Cooper) was discovered while putting in a stabilized stream crossing. However, those are “normal” hiccups that happen in some form every year.

This year projects have been completed on:

• Sechler Run, Danville, Montour County (aka the Geisinger project!)
• Turtle Creek, Lewisburg, Union County
• Briar Creek, Berwick Columbia County
• Schwaben Creek, Herndon, Northumberland County
• Beaver Run, Danville, Montour County
• Turkey Run, Mifflinburg, Union County
• Limestone Run, Milton, Northumberland County
• Mauses Creek, Montour County
• West Branch Chillisquaque Creek, Montour County

The list of interested landowners on agriculturally impaired streams continues to grow. We’ll have a full schedule in 2021 (fingers crossed) and have plenty of planning and design work to keep everyone busy this fall and winter.

Since 2017, the Walk in Penn’s Woods partnership has been working to offer Pennsylvanians a statewide day of walks in the woods on the first Sunday in October. These walks provide an excellent opportunity to get out, have fun, and learn about Pennsylvania’s forests, to see forests in new ways, and to understand and appreciate the many values we hold for the woods.

Since many of the organizations that hosted a formal, group activity in the past were unable to do so this year (NPC included), the partners declared the entire month of October a Walk in Penn’s Woods – encouraging everyone to create their own woodland adventures! 

To help celebrate this initiative and inspire others to join in the fun, several NPC members shared some of their favorite places in Penn’s Woods!

Thank you to these members for sharing their appreciation for Penn’s Woods!