Summer 1999 Newsletter - Friends of the Wissahickon

TO PRESERVE THE NATURAL BEAUTY AND '\N'ILDNESS OIF THE '\N'ISSAHICKON VALLEY AND STIMULATE PUBLIC INTEREST THEREIN.
Photo Co:ntest
Wm:ners , ••••• • • " .pp. 6-7
Vme Cutting in the
WISSahi~!)ri •...• ; •.. ' ·P• 8
Re-establishing the Natural
WISSahkkon Edge ••••• ,p. 9

I
t's an exciting time of
the year for the president
of the Friends of the
Wissahickon. The annual
meeting is approaching
with a review of our
accomplishments and failures
of the past year. More
interesting, by far, is making
plans for next year.
As I think of all the things that can be done to improve
the Wissahickon, I realize that our Board cannot do it alone.
We need members who, having observed a problem facing
the Wissahickon, will come forth with ideas, the will, and the
determination to make our park a better place. An excellent
example of a member1a'.K!ng initiative is the work that Jake
Michael has done with vine cutting. See the story about this
ohpage 8 of the newsletter.
Our Board must be available for support and help. With
all of us working as a team we will get some of the many
tasks accomplished.
It seems that the Pygmies of the African rain forest have
important clues to effective teamwork. Pt'ofessor Manfred Kets
de Vires, in a recent article, titled High Perfimnance Team,'i:
Les:mns from the Pygmies, believes that Pygmies hold the key
to tenific teamwork.
Pygmies work in a tough, harsh environment which has
forced them to learn that no single person should run the
show and that everyone should have a voice. We now fashionably
call this "distributed" leadership. The professor claims
that what makes the Pygmy teams unique is that all members
respect, trust and support ea~h other, and have common
goals.
I have always admired the ability of the Pygmies to live.
successfully in the African rain forest. Thinking about them, I
realize that we have our forest, or our woods, with our harsh
conditions here in Philadelphia, and what we need is tenific
teamwork to make the Wissahickon a better park.
The problem here, of course, is teamwork. I find that for
most of us two-way trust is not strong enough. As leaders we
appear to have all the alk'iWers and want people to trust what
we are doing, but then we do not always trust the people. But
thinking about the Pygmie's teamwork, we have to realize and
accept that others might have better ideas and answers and
that our Board might only have a different perspective.
Our Board and officers need all of you. Come forth and
we will try our hardest to lbten to you and support you and
work with you. There are so many areas in the Wissahickon
which need your input, your ideas, your commitment and
sweat.
What need~ to be done? I have a list of at least ten things,
but the important ones are the ones your are interested in and
are willir:g to work on. Tell us. We will listen, respect you,
and together we all will help improve the Wissahickon.
flave a wonderful summer in our woods, meadows and
·along the. creek.
Edward C. Stainton,
President
Four new persons--Ken LeRoy, Chris McCabe, Dan Pardo, and Sarah West--were elected to the Board of Directors of the Friends at the june annual meeting.
Each brings strong and diverse interests to our organization. A short profile of each follows:
Ken LeRoy
Chris McCabe
Dan Pardo
Sarah West
Ken LeRoy, a resident of Ambler, is a
Chfis McCabe, a resident of Roxborough,
''"''p¥i5fessional arborist, employed as a sales rep- is administrative supervisor with the Park
resentative~y ~cFar\and Landscape Services. Division of the Philadelphia Police
oicJS rtii l\Ssociai'estiegree 1 1fffit>iti&ltllte 1 '' :Depa~ent; la5signed~l:a me 92nd &l:sttiet; ·
from Temple University. Before joining where he supervises 15 officers. His duties
McFarland in 1991, he was a member of the include setting up large details and special
staff at the Morris Arboretum where he still events in Fairmount Park. Chris is a selfteaches
courses and gives lectures on tree taugqt naturalist and long-time member of the
topics. Ken cun·ently chairs tl1e Tree and Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education
Shrub Committee oLthe Friends' Conservation where he has inventoried flora and fauna, led
Committee.
bird walks and conducted workshops. For ten
years he has been responsible for the
Schuylkill Center's bird nesting box program.
Dan Pardo, a resident of Chestnut Hill
and native of Venezuela, jogs and bikes regularly
in the Wissahickon. As a biker, he orga-
, niied a fundraising bike tide for·Deborah>
Hospital that raised $35,000. Dan ha.'> lived in
the Philadelphia area since 1969 and worked
in a variety of positions concerned with store
design and interior decorating. While residing
in Chester County, he helped organize and
became chairman of the East Pikeland
Environmental Council and also served on the
Board of tl1e Green Valley Association.
Sarah West, a resident of West Mt. Aicy,
currently teaches Biology and Astronomy­
Geology at Germantown Friends School. She
has'spertt c

INCOME
BUDGET FOR 1999
1. Recurring Income
Dues and Gifts
78,000
79,375
F IE
~s
EE
G
Interest
5,500
5,831
Valley Green Rent
12,000
15,000
By Dena Sher
Sub-Total 9:5,500 100,2o6
2. Non-Recurt'.in:g Income
Memorials
Special Events
Non-l{estricted Grants
Miscellaneous~ Contributions
Sub-Total
Deer Study
:KnptWeed Sprayirig
2,500
500
1,000
4;000
5,765
1,330
2,830
1,226
11,151
It was standing room only at the Friends of the
Wissahickon's annual meeting held at an unusual location,
the recently renovated warming sheds in Valley
Green. The meeting took place on Tuesday evening,
June 8th.
The dynamic president, Ed Stainton, finishing up
his first year in office, welcomed the crowd of members
and special guests. He reviewed the activities and
;iccomplishment of the organization over the year and
tl1anked all who pitched in to work for the Friends,
singling out for special thanks some board members
and individuals from the Fairmount Park staff, Riders of
the Wissahickon, and REI, Inc. Ed passed out to these
folks as mementos wooden p~gs, like those used in
construction of the sheds.
Peter Lapham, executive director of the Ftiends,
reviewed in greater detail the accomplishments of
1998-1999, adding that he is continually impressed by
the dedication of the members of iliis organization. The
persistence of the Friends in their efforts to address the
issue of deer overpopulation was described.
The Friends, he stated, have been ve:ry successful
in obtaining grants. These include $20,000 for rebuilding
the Thomas Mill trail, $8000 from the Wissahickon
Garden Club to restore the spring house along
Forbidden Drive, $8,300 from the Pennsylvania
Attorney General's office for tree planting and structure
restoration.
As well, $10,000-was received for restoration of
the warming sheds and $80,000 from ilie Pew
M;morial Trusts for renovation of Valley Green Inn.
The latter grant was the result of a long-term effort by
Ella Torrey and Koey Rivinus.
Bob Wallis, co-chair of the conservation committee,
reported on ilie activities of this recharged committee.
He urged all present to join one of its sub- committees--wildlife,
water quality, trail , and trees and
plants-- as a hands-on way to preserve and learn about
iliepark.
The formal elements of ilie meeting incuded ilie
Treasurer's report given by Bill Helm and the nomination
of new board members presented by ilie nomination
committee chairperson, Shirley Gracie. See sepa-
The Friends' annual meeting in June took place at the
newly re-constructed warm sheds at Valley Green.
Among those speaking to the assembled was Peter
Lapham, Friends' executive director.
·The roof at Valley Green Inn got reshingled this Spring,
as part of the Inn's restoration. (Photo by Wladyslaw
Janowski)
rate story on the opposite page introducing the four
new board members.
Following the meeting's adjournment, a large
number of those attending walked over to Valley
Green Inn to enjoy a buffet dinner specially arranged
for ilie occasion by Jack Ott, manager. It proved to bt
, an excellent way to continue the feeling of good fellowship
generated by the meeting.
Buzz Wemple, third from left, who worked tirelessly on the re-t:onstruction of the warming shed, was introduced at the
Friends' annual meeting as the new chairman of the structures committee, taking over for Tom Ryan. Pictured above,
from left to right, are a number of individuals who contributed to the shed's rebuilding and/or funding, including: lore
Verne, Ed Stainton, Buzz Wemple, Eric Ervin, Bill Smilow, Tom Ryan, Steve Kurtz, and Ray Sherman, who each receive!
a framed photo of the shed taken sometime in the past.

~HRIS PALMER:
MANAGER OF FAIRMOUNT PARK DISTRICT 3
By jane Carroll
l
I
"I was just about to turn on the rddio," Chris Palmer says
b he greets me in his office on a recent Saturday morning,
I
lbut then I heard the birds singing and decided there's no better
music than that." Manager of Fainnount Park'~ District 3,
ivhich includes the Wissahickon Valley, Palmer trdces his love
bf the outdoors to his childhood in Roxborough, where his
tamily lived on an acre of land and grew vegetables and
~owers. His grdndfather had been a farmer in the Ukraine
Jmd he shared his knowledge of gardening with the young
palmer. It was from his grandfather that Palmer .first learned
~ow to care for a landscape.
, After grdduating from W. B. Saul High School of the
(Agricultural Sciences, Palmer
(Worked in the landscaping business
pefore joining the Fairmount Park
System. His first assignment was
~aring for the Park's golf courses in
~outh Philadelphia. Before long, he
twas promoted to grounds foreman
:in District 3 where he spent five
fyears supervising trail maintenance
lcrews in the Wissahickon. He then
1transferred back to the South
tPhiladelphia/Center City District,
'where he had the opportunity to
:care for some of the city's finest
!public gardens, including the
[Azalea Garden near the art muse­
!um, and the flower beds at Logan
fCircle.
r .Another promotion in July
~1996 brought him back to the
~issahickon again, this time as
j;Manager of the district. Along the
1
way he picked up an associate's
l degree in horticulture. (He is cur-
1rently working toward a B.S. ti·om
;temple University,) District 3
f encompasses not only the
i Wissahickon but a number of
! smaller parks ranging in size from
i 10 to 100 acres over an area
1 stretching from Andorra to Olney.
!Palmer manages a paid st~ff of 15
people, 11 of whom are engaged
'in hands-on work in the park while
the rest hold administrative positions. He is proud of his
"skilled and versatile" staff. "We ask a lot of them," he says,
"and they give a lot." Palmer's office is also responsible for
and overseeing contractors who cany out much of the
maintenance work, including mowing grass in !'he parks and
to the street trees within the district.
Palmer's small office is located off Hemy Avenue not far
from the dairy barns of the Saul School. Just a few feet from
building, a foot trail leads into the Wissahickon Valley:
the office, a large wall poster displays the different
species of bats native to Pennsylvania, and caterpillars crawl
across a sunlit patch of ground on the computer screen saver.
a typical morning, Palmer is in the office by 7 am, going
over the day's work with the grounds supervisors.
The district manager's main responsibility, as Palmer sees
it, is to "understand the landscape and determine what needs
to be done, making sure everything works." One of the most
satisfying aspects of the job, he says, is "having the opportunity
to work with the many community groups who volunteer
their time and effort in the park," and he feels that "nurturing
their efforts" is one of his strong points. Along with volupteer
coordinator Dave Bower, he tries to ensure that park volunteers
have meaningful work and walk away with a good
experience. Programs that involve children are especially
important because they provide an opportunity to "plant a
seed," he says, "to show children how to conserve and
''Having the opportunity to
work with the many community
groups who volunteer
their time and effort in the
Park is one of the most satisfying
aspects of my job."
improve the environment and ultimately become good stewards
of the landcape. II He looks forward to completion of
the new education center on Henry Avenue and thinks it will
help get more people involved.
The day I spoke with him, he was preparing for the first
meeting of volunteers for "Pulling Together," a new project
aimed at controlling invasive plants. With funding from the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and assistance from the
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the program educates
volunteers, employees, and property owners about invasive
plants and is working to develop techniques for identifying
and controlling problematic species. Japanese Knotweed
is being effectively managed on many acres of the
W1ssahickon, but Palmer points out that not all exotics should
be emdicated. 'Just because it
--Chris Palmer
Chris Palmer not only fulfills his official park duties in the
Wissahickon, such as supervising the insallation of the new
trail signage (center), but he also gets his hands dirty and
helps with the volunteer projects, such as the rebuilding of
structures (right) and streambank stabilization (left).
place"
Between his first stint in
District 3 and his return three
years ago, he has seen a
tremendous increase in the
number of people using the
Wissahickon, a change he attributes to
the popularity of mountain biking and a
heightened concern with physical fitness.
In addition to bicyclists, he sees
more and more joggers and walkers
using the trails and notes that it's not
unusual to see the parking lots completely
full on week days. All of this
activity places more pressure on the
park and its caretakers. Trail refurbishment,
trail maintenance, and reforesta-·
tion demand the lion's share of atten-
comes from somewhere else," he
explains, "it is not necessarily
responsible to remove a plant if
there is not something desirable
growing nearby to take its
tion. Inappropriate use of the park keeps the staff busy as
well. Graffiti continues to be a stubborn problem near Devil's
Pool and in other pocket areas. "Painting a tree gray to cover
the graffiti might not seem like a great solution," he says, but
he and his crew try to respond as quickly as possible to maintain
a "zero tolerance" policy.
The large deer population is anotl1er ongoing source of
concern. Palmer acted as field manager during the recent
attempt to thin the herd. While he was reluctant to talk about
the controversy surrounding the use of a sharpshooter, he
feels that the operdtion was successful for as long as it lasted.
About 43 deer were removed, but he points out that "it is still
an abundant herd and the number of deer have to be
reduced" in order to reverse the damaging effects of overgrazing.
Future plans for managing the deer have yet to be decicled.
Palmer has witnessed a number of 'positive changes as
well, like the fact that the pileated woodpecker is now a common
sight in the Wissahickon Valley and the area supports a
growing population of hawks and vultures as well as the
occasional eagle. While this could signal that the birds are
being crowded out of other habitat, Palmer sees it as a sign
that the Wissahickon environment is improving.
Despite the challenges, he clearly enjoys his job, and in
order to do it well, he makes it a point to learn as much as
he can about the landscape and its resident species. Insect
specimens are kept in jars scattered about his office. As he
showed me a large black beetle with red markings, he
explained that District 3 is involved with the Southeastern
Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management Research Group,
which stresses close monitoring of the landscape and is working
to develop effective management tools. Under tl1is
''I've seen a
tremendous
increase in
the number of
people using "
the
Wissahickon. "
Common sightings in the
Park of the pileated wood­
.peck~ more hawks, vultures
and an occasional
eagle, Palmer sees as a
sign the Wissahickon environment
is improving.
approach, if an insect or plant
becomes a problem, the first
step is to determine the extent
to which the environment can
toler.:tte it, and if it s:an't, to
look for the most effective
least, toxic method of removal.
Sometimes it is a matter of
understanding the complex
relationships between species.
If a plant is native to the area
and has the proper growth
conditions, it will he much
healthier. "Take it out of its
proper environment," Palmer
says," and you will surely discover
pest and health problem."
His staff has also
begun working on a project
with the Academy of Natural
Sciences to develop practices
for managing exotic invasive
plants.
Palmer still lives in
Central Roxborough, a half
block from the Wissahickon,
with his wife Peg and their
three children. While most
people might prefer to leave
their work place behind on
weekends, Palmer is a frequent
visitor to the valley in his free
time, usually to fish or ride a
bike. Two of his favorite spots
are the Cresheim Creek area,
which he calls "an extremely special
place," and Kitchens Lane.
A soft-spoken man, he is
reluctant to "toot his own horn"
but has no problem showing.
pride when it comes to his kids
- Christie Leigh 14, Christopher
12, and Matthew, 10. All three children help with watering
and weeding the family's garden. The garden is smaller than
the one Palmer worked with his grandfather, he observes,
"but there's a lot going on, everything from asters to zinnias
with a few tomatoes and peppers thrown in." Palmer's parent
still live on the acre of ground where he first fell in love
with growing things, and he is passing on that love to his
own children. "l like to think," he says," that they'll canyon
the tradition."

The Green Team
The Green Team--members ofthe
Friends ofthe Wissahickon with
young children--took part in a
clean-up in May. The small but
mighty group scoured the parking
lots, creek banks and trails to
pick up trash. At the end of the
day there were fuU bags and a
sense of pride in having made a
difference.
DEER DAMAGE ON PENNSYL~
F REST SU ECT OF SEPTE
CONFE ENCE
As part of its continuing advocacy for protecting
the Wissahickon from an overabundance of
deer, the Ftiends of the Wissahickon is pa1ticipating
in planning a conference on the impact of deer on
Pennsylvania's forests. The conference will be held
September 24-26 in Harrisburg at the Radisson Hotel
and will feature expe1ts exploring the ecological,
economic, and cultural impact of deer.
Excessive white-tailed deer populations present
a serious problem from Maine to Texas. While it has
particularly affected suburbs in the Middle Atlantic
region, it is also altering the ecology of vast land
areas, such as Pennsylvania's forests.
East March after seven years of study and community
leadership by the Friends, the Fairmount
Park Commission implemented a two-night cull of
the Wissahickon herd. This cull, by a single sharpshooter,
reduced the herd by 43 deer, less than the
necessary 125 to bring a wildlife balance. An early
spring with excessive budding resulted in the cull's
curtailment for the present. In the meantime, there
will be continued monitoring of the impact of deer
on the Wissahickon.
The Harrisburg conference is being planned by
the PA Chapter of the Sierra Club, the Audubon
Society of PA, and the Heinz Endowments. Also participating
will be all major agencies (Federal as well
as state) responsible for wildlife, forestry, and the
environment, as well as nonpr()fit advocates and
tmiversities. The hunting comm(mity also will be .
well-represented.
B1yan Shissler, a consultant who conducted the
study of deer in ti!e Wissahickon, has estimated that
70 percent of Pennsylvania's forests cannot recover
naturally from damage done by excessive numbers
of deer. The failure of many species of trees to
regenerate threatens the timber industry. Certain
wildflowers and habitats for migratory songbirds are
being destroyed. Farmer's crops are suffering, gardens
and landscaping as well. And the insurance
industry is having to pay for much of the damage.
NIA'S
E
---------------------------------------- C::lldf~Jr~lDLC:~ ]Bt~~lt~tilDL -----------------------------------------
To obtain tickets for the conference, fill out the form below with a check payable to
PA Audubon Society, and mail before September 17 to: ·
PA Audubon Society
1104 Fernwood Avenue, Suite 300
Camp Hill, PA 17011
Order tickets for separate parts or
reduced price for entire event.
Entire Event @ $55 each
Number of tickets ___ _
Cost ________ _
Pictured top--Dylan Tracy, Eva lau, Nick Sanders, Harrison
Tracy, and Nina Nalle. Pictured center--Mike Concannon and
Carolin, with William on his back. Pictured bottom--Andrew St.
George, grandson of Ed Stainton. (Photos by Karen Tracy and
Ed Stainton)
Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope to receive .tickets. Tickets, if available, may
also be purchased at the door, but meals will not be included.
For room reservations at the Radisson-Harrisburg, call 1-800-333-3333. A block of rooms
has been reserved for September 24 and 25 at a special reduced rate for the conference.
-------Ticket Order Form-------
DEER IMPACT CONFERENCE --SEPTEMBER 24-26, 1999
Name ____________________ ~Phone _______ _
Organization ____________________________ _
Address _______________________________ __
Friday evening--Sept 2
Program @ $10 each
Number of tickets ___ _
Cost---------
Saturday--Sept 25
All-day Conference (including lunch)
@ $35 each
Number of ticket~ ___ _
Cost---------
Saturday evening--Sept 25
Dinner arid Program @ $20 eacfu
Number of tickets ___ _
Cost ________ _
TOTAL COST _____ _

,
0
• 1nners
The winning photos will be on display in the
window of the Chestnut Hill Community
Business Association at 8426 Germantown
Avenue, starting June 24th.
Wissahickon Immersion
1st place, Park users---Bill Hengst
See cover of newsletter
Vilardo, Louis *
* Photo contest winners
Yahya Abdul Oa . .
adtr IS climbin
users--Wiad Y Levezey ,
Yslaw Janowski oOcks
2nd Place, Park
Fishermen
Honorable mention, Park users---louis Vilardo
Winter on Forbidden Drive
Honorable mention, Park users---Kenneth VanStine

Fly Like a Bird
2nd place La d
' n scape---Melv,·n Ch appell
Two Bridges
Honorable mention, Landscape---Melvin Chappell
Wissahickon Valley
Honorable mention, Landscape---Wiadyslaw Janowski

By Bill Hengst
VINE CUTTIN RESCUES EES
I E WISSAHIC N
In April, 1997, Jake Michael and 23 other people attended
a three-day workshop--"The Charm and Challenge of the
Wissahickon", organized by the Friends of the Wissahickon,
which focused on conservation and volunteer opportunities in
the Wissahickon watershed. The participants spent half of each
day outdoors in the park planting trees, cutting.invasive vines,
and repairing trails, and the other half of the day indoors
attending lectures given by experts in the Wissahickon's ecological
proble!11s.
Jake, an environmental
planner
trained in geology
and ecology, found
vine cutting so much
to his liking and temperament
that he
organized a vine-cutting
program for volunteers
which meets
in the Wissahickon
once a month-­
Saturday mornings
for approximately
two hours, the third
Saturday of each
month.
A core group of
vc>lunteers comes
out, including Dick
Hoban and Bob
O'Neil, and some
. Saturdays they are
joined by volunteers
fro111 organizations
doing community service
work in the Park.
Jake chose vine
cutting because, in his
words, "It is a scientifically
elegant activi-
Jake Michael (right) demonstrates the
technique for cutting invasive vines
with loppers. Pictured above is a typical
vine infestation found in the .
Wissahickon.
ty. So simple and it gets such tangible results."
In May of this year, I met jake at a particularly vine-infest-
. ed segment of the Wissahickon in Roxborough near the intersection
of Wise's Mill Road and Henry Avenue, where he and
other volunteers will be cutting vines for the next several
months.
He told me, "If a person can identify two plants, he or
she can do ninety percent of the work. We work mostly with
grape vines and Oriental bittersweet and occasionally with
wisteria vines. All we're doing is cutting the vines with a simple
tool, either a saw or a pair of loppers.
;,Vine cutting is fun 'and it's easy. You don't have to dean
up, and there are no chemicals. You simply cut the vine
twice, at the level of your knee and a second cut at the height
of your shoulder. If you just slice them once, they'll grow back
together. You have to create a gap the size of the strike zone.
"We're not killing the vines, we're just cutting them. The
vines will resprout from the ground. What we're doing is buying
time for the tree."
Vine cutting benefits the ecology at
three levels--the soi~ the branches, and
the canopy.
Jake pointed out that vine ·cutting benefits the ecology at
three levels--the soil, the branches, and the canopy, or the top
of the tree. It benefits the soil, because the vines take nutrients
out of the earth that would be going to the tree or other
plants.
At the branch level, consider that the vines are filled with
water which has a weight equivalent to cement, so the weight
of a duster of mature grape or Oriental bittersweet vines hanging
on the branches of a tree is like, in Jake's words, 'taking
cables from a bridge and draping them on the tree.
"In many places, we've seen small trees, maybe three or
four inches around, where the vines have pulled the trees
down so they are completely arched and the top of the tree is
on the g~ound, which ultimately will kill the tree."
At the canopy level, vines spread and shade out the
leaves of the tree, reducing the amount of sunlight reaching
the tree's leaves, which means the tree can't produce as many
seeds. This smothering effect of vines on seed, when combined
with the deer ovemrowsing that kills off tree saplings,
causes failure of tree re-generation.
This absence of young trees in the Wissahickon
recently struck Jake when he was hiking at Marsh
Creek State Park in Chester County. (He currently
works as the open space planner for the Chester
County Planning Commission.)
"I kept seeing these four and six-foonall trees
there and thought to myself, that's really cool. Then I
· realized I've spent so much time in the Wissahickon
that I had forgotten that's the way its supposed to be.
There should be a lot of small trees.
''What we're doing with this vinecutting
activity is not simply saving
' an individual tree, we're providing a tree
seed bank. "--This monthly vine-cutting
activity has cleared at le~t 600 trees .
"There are some places in the Wissahickon where you
look and there's nothing in the bottom four feet. What we're
doing with this vine-cutting activity is not simply saving an
individual tree, we're providing a tree seed bank."
I asked Jake how many trees he and his monthly volunteer
crews have rescued since he began the monthly outings.
His conservative estimate VIlas at least 600 trees. I also asked
him how long it might take to free up all the trees in the
Wissahickon and he answered he could be doing this for the
rest of his life. He likened vine cutting in the Wissahickon to
painting the Golden Gate Bridge. "They start at one end and
when they get to the other end they start back."
The Friends' canopy gap study guides
where to cut vines.
In determining where to cut vines, Jake relies heavily on
the information contained in the Canopy Gap Report--the
study undertaken by the Friends of the Wissahickon in cooperation
with the Fainnount Park Commission and fUnded by
the William Penn Foundation. The report was based on a survey
of the entire Wissahickon undertaken in 1997 by Jason
Lubar, with assistance from Wayne Lee, Jr. and Clare Billett.
"That report," Jake said, "provides the technical background
and a map for where we should go. It makes doing
the work a lot easier. We've got some scientific basis for what
we're doing which gives us some focus, so we're not randomly
going out and looking for vines. We're going to the areas
where the vines have out-competed other plants and are really
damaging the ecosystem."
Bt1 once the monthly vine-cutting focuses in on a certain
area, th~'s still s0me informed choices that must be made as
,, •''~'!]:.:.,_
to which trees to rescue. "Certain trees really get hutt by these
vines," said Jake, "trees like the Eastern hemlock and the
Amelican elm, both of which have been infected by disease.
"So, if we're walking around and we see a hemlock and a
box elder, we're going to go for the hemlock. One of the
things we try to do is concentrate on tree species that are
under more stress"
'The third Saturday of ev~ry month is
vine-cutting Saturday for volunteers"-­
David Bower
Fairmount Park's volunteer coordinator for the
Wissahickon, David Bower, is so impressed by Jake Michael's
vine-cutting program that he plans to direct more volunteers to
this activity. "We're calling the third Saturday of the month
vine-cutting Saturday," Bower said.
Persons, or grcups, wishing to volunteer for vine-cutting
Saturdays should call Bower at 215-685-0286, or if they have
questions about this activity, they can reach Jake Michael at
610-344-6285.
--~----

HOMEOWNERS SEEK TO RE-ESTABLISH
THE NATURAL WISSAHICKON EDGE
By Bill Hengst
This article ran earlier in the Chestnut Hill Local.
This year, two home owners in Chestnut Hill whose
properties sit close to the Wissahickon will pioneer the
replanting of a more natural landscape on portions of
their ground.
Their intention is to re-establish the kind of plantings,
or plant communities, that once flourished before
lawns and invasive plants proliferated along the
Wissahickon's edge. By altering their grounds, they also
hope to demonstrate to other homeowners a landcape
with both economic and ecological benefit.
The two property owners are board members of the
Friends of the Wissahickon. According to Ed Stainton,
Friends' president and one of rl1e participants, "We're real
excited to try this out because it causes less runoff dun
from a lawn and it creates a more friendly environment
for birds, bees and small mammals. It should also be
cheaper than mowing grass once a week."
To plan and install their new landscapes, the two
owners have called upon Larry Weaner, a landscape
designer with offices in Erdenheim who has designed
numerous woodland and meadow gardens. He also
developed the "New Directions in American Landscape"
conference series.
"Naturally designed landscapes," Weaner wrote several
years ago in American Nurseryman, "incorporate native
plants and natural processes that require less time, money
and energy for upkeep than designs in which plants are
selected and combined for ornamental effect alone."·
Landscapes, according to Weaner, that consist mosdy
of lawns and ornamental plant typically require pesticides,
herbicides, inorganic fertilizers, not to mention the
burning of fossil fuels to mow large areas of grass.
Where the woods of the Wissahickon meet private
property, there can occur, according to Weaner, three possible
habitats--deep woodlands, woodland edges and
meadows. On the two properties, Weaner will install a
woodland edge garden and a meadow.
The woodland garden will include a mix of canopy
trees, understory shmbs and a ground layer patterned
after a woodland edge landscape like one might have
found along the Wissahickon years ago.
Examples of woodland edge trees Weaner might recommend
along the Wissahickon include: se1viceberry,
dogwood and red cedar. Viburnum species and native
azalea species would be good shmb-layer plants. While
for ground plants, he suggests perennials such as goldenrod,
asters, Amsonia (blue star), and woodland sunflower.
For a meadow landscape, a cover crop of grass is
impmtant to fill things in the first year and outcompete
the weeds. For the Wissahickon meadow garden, Weaner
will probably sow annual rye grass or oats. In addition to
perennial flowering plants, his palette often includes
native grasses such as little bluestem and Indian grass.
"The grasses," Weaner said, "are really the functional
plants that make the meadow competitive. Flowers alone
will not keep weeds out, but will when combined with
grasses."
In selecting·plant materials for both woodland and
meadow habitats, Weaner stressed, "It's important to use
plants that grow together in nature and form compositions.
You include plants that tend to grow with other
plants rather than just picking individual ones and throwing
them together.
"You also put in vigorous native species that will
make it a lot easier to control invasive plants because
there is something competing with them."
The objective of these woodland edge and meadow
demonstrations, according to Weaner "will be to create
something that combines the aesthetic character of a garden
with rl1e aesthetic character of nature. Our goal is to
create gardens that interact positively with the natural
landscape."
Homeowners wishing to know more about this activity
should contact Ed Stainton at 215-247-2763.

E
c
E
By Bill Hengst
For the past couple of years, planning work has
been underway by private consultants and municipal
representatives preparing a comprehensive program
for cnnse1ving and protecting the natural features of
the Wissahickon Creek corridor and watershed.
The program is patt of a statewide planning initiative
funded by the Pennsylvania Department of
Consctvation & Natural Resources and the William
Penn Foundation.
The program has resulted in a series of findings
and recommendations, prepared by The Delta Group,
in a document titled "The Wissahickon Creek
Conse1vation Plan-" Completion and approval of this
plan will enable subsequent application for implementation
funds by Montgomery County, the City of
Philadelphia, and the thirteen other municipalities in
Montgomery County that fall within the Wissahickon
watershed.
Jenks Public Elementary School students were hard at work this spring
finishing up a 300-foot mural of the Wissahickon in time for the official
opening party on June 12. Pictured here is Maureen Melkovich, Jenks
4th grader.
Jenks students transformed the entire front hall of the school into a gorgeous
visual history of the Wissahickon Valley, including depictions of its
bridges, mills and some ot the tamous persons inspired by its landscape.
Supervised by a .professional muraJist, the students devoted.a
year to researching, designing and painting tile people, animals, rocks
and trees of the Wissahickon.
In the last issue of this newsletter, we reported on one
element in the plan--a proposal to create the Cresheim Creek Greenway,
which hopefully will be one of the early projects funded and undertaken as a
result of the Conservation Plan.
In the interest of the Friends of the Wissahickon's membership and readers of this newsletter, we now pub lis
the main conclusions and recomendations of the overall Consetvation Plan.
A public hearing on this plan will be held on July22nd at 7:30PM at the offices of the Wissahicko1
Valley Watershed Association. Persons with questions about the plan or the public hearing should
contact The Delta Group at 215-567-5252.
CONCLUSIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS
75th ANNIVERSARY
GALA PLANNED
FOR SUNDAY,
OCTOBER3
A very special celebration of the Friends of the
Wissahickon's 75th anniversary will take place at Krisheim on
Sunday afternoon, October 3rd.
Krisheim is the large Woodward family estate bordering
the Wissahickon section of Fairmount Park. The Friends
event will take place in the gardens of'the estate which have
recently been restored. These gardens are an interesting mixture
of untamed nature and cultivation with broad terraces
overlooking the treetops of the Wissahickon Valley.
Special activities, including tours of the gardens and
entertainment for the entire family are planned for the after~
noon. The cost has not been finalized, but it will probably be
$75 per person with a lesser amount for young Friend?, and
children under 12 free. A light buffet and drinks (soft, wine,
and beer) will be served.
Invitations should be in members' mailbox early in
September. The Friends are hoping for a good turn-out for
this event to mark tl1e occasionof 75 years of work for the
Wissahickon and to raise funds for the tasks of presetvation
that are still unfinished.
• Most land in the Wissahickon
watershed was developed prior
to stormwater management regulations.
• Most land in the Wissahickon
watershed is in private ownership.
• The main Wissahickon Creek
is mostly in public ownership.
• Subwatershelds are the appropriate
scale to deal with restoration effort

a
R.andy R. McLaughlin
jeanette McVeigh & Kenneth
New members joining the Friencl of the Wissahickon, at a
membership level of $3'5 and up, receive free a copy of the
Wissahickon Valley Map. The map, published by the
Friends for many years, was updated in 1998. It has long
been a staple for trail use and identification of landmarks in
the Wissahickon and also contains current information on
Park rules. The map, which fold down to a size similar to
highway road maps, also may be purchased at 22 different
locations throughout Philadelphia and the suburbs:
In Philadelphia
Andorra Natural Area
Tree House
Northwestern Avenue
Borders Book Store
8701 Germantown Ave.
Bike Line
226 S. 40th St.
Eastern Mountain Sports
University of Pennsylvania
Book Store
130 South 36th St.
Historic RittenhouseTown
-206 Lincoln Drive
joseph Fox Bookstore
1724 Sansom St.
Outside Philadelphia
D & Q Specialty Shop
1720 Route 70 East
Cheny Hill, NJ
Eastern Mountain Sports
Suburban Square
Ardmore
Erdenheim Cycle & Fitness
821 Bethlehem Pike
Erdenheim
Guy's Bicycles
326 E. Street Rd.
Feasterville
Franklin Maps
33~ s. Henderson Rd.
King of Prussia
Metropolis Bicycles
4159 Main St.
Orders to be picked up at office
8708 Germantown Avenue.
Orders mailed out
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Send form with payment to Friends of the Wissahickon office: 8708 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118
/

Ongoing Hikes
"Walk the Wild Wissahickon" The Sie!Ta
Club Singles sponsors hikes regularly the
last Saturday of each month, hiking a different
trail each month. Meet at 10 AM at
Sedgwick Gardens Apts. in Mt. Airy
(McCallum and Sedgwick Sts.) Call 21 5-
438-4459 for details. Next hikes on June
26, July 31, August 28, and September
25.
· Andon·a Natural Area sponsors hikes and
walks of interest in the Wissahickon.
Consult their calendar or call 215685-
9285 for details.
Sunday, September 5
Six-mile hike with the Batona Hiking
Club in the middle po!tion of the
Wissahickon Valley. Meet at 12:30 PM at
Carpenter's Lane and Germantown
Avenue and carpool to the area
at the foot of Kitchen's Lane. Call 610-
664-4901 for further details.
YES,
the Wissahickon can count on
All members receive the Friends' quarterly newspaper. Basic and above members ($35.00 or more), receive a membership card with discount privileges.
First-time basic and above members also receive a map of the Wissahickon Valley.
MEMBERSHIP LEVEL
0 $15 Limited Income 0 $35 Basic Membership 0 $70* 0 $100** 0 $250** 0 $500** 0 New Member 0 Renewal
*Choice of 0 hat, 0 T-shirt (circle one- L XL XXL), or Video of the Wissahickon as premium to be mailed to you with your membership card.
**Special Premium that changes every year, maximum value $25.
0 Please keep the premium and use the entire membership fee for the Park. METHOD OF PAYMENT
Name _____________________________________________________ ~-----------------------------
Street ___________________________________________________________________________________ _
City _______________________________________,State ________________,Zip Code ____.:______
Phone (Home)
(Wor~ ------------------
0 Check Enclosed (payable to the Friends of the
Wissahickon)
0 Chargemy
0 VISA 0 Mastercard
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Expiration Date. ___________________ _
I also want to help the Friends of the Wissahickon with:
0 Membership 0 Publicity 0 Trail Repair 0 Clean-Up 0 Wildlife
0 Hydrology 0 Reforestation 0 WJSSahickon Stewardship Program (WiSP)
Signature. _________________________ _
Please return to: 8708 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA