Here - Friends of Wissahickon

PRESERVING THE NATURAL BEAUTY AND WILDNESS OF THE WISSAHICKON VALLEY FOR EIGHTY-EIGHT YEARS.
FALL 2012 VOLUME 21 • NUMBER 3
New Warming Shed
at Valley Green Inn
Keeping Up with the
Trail Ambassadors p.6
improvement at
Devil’s pool p. 11
FOW’s Annual Meeting p. 12

At FOW, our mission to preserve the Wissahickon focuses
on habitat, water, trails, and you, the people who visit the
park every day. Many of our projects over the years have
been developed in response to needs identified by you in our
park user surveys: the compost toilets at Rex Avenue Bridge and
Kitchen’s Lane; our Trail Ambassador program; and maintenance of
Photo by Laurie Beck Peterson
the area surrounding Devil’s Pool, to name a few. Currently, we are
working on a number of projects that will directly benefit visitors
to Wissahickon Valley Park, and you can read about them in this issue of our newsletter.
Equestrians in particular will welcome the return of the Warming Shed at Valley Green (see p. 8). It
has taken FOW’s volunteer Structures Crew two years to complete, but this new building will stand the
test of time with its excellent design and meticulous construction.
All park users will benefit from
the new map we are designing
with an expected release date in Many of our projects over the years have
December. This new edition will
reflect trail changes as a result
of the work FOW has done
been developed in response to needs
through our Sustainable Trails
Initiative and include important
safety information that will prove identified by you in our park user surveys:
useful to all park users. Look for
information on our website about the compost toilets at Rex Avenue Bridge
a Map Launch Party this fall.
An improved signage plan,
part of the Sustainable Trails and Kitchen’s Lane; our Trail Ambassador
Initiative, will be presented at
a public meeting in December program; and maintenance of the area
(see page 3). This is a plan for a
park-wide signage system that
will orient park users, help them surrounding Devil’s Pool, to name a few.
find their way around the park
more easily, and help emergency
personnel find them if needed.
At the Andorra Natural Area and Kitchen’s Lane, we are restoring trails as part of Stage 4 of our
Sustainable Trails Initiative. Park users will also be served with the renovations we are undertaking this fall
to the Wissahickon Environmental Center, fondly known as the Tree House.
The Friends have been working to improve safety throughout the park for years with a public
education and outreach initiative that includes the efforts of our dedicated Trail Ambassadors. This
summer FOW also worked with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation to increase the presence of Park Rangers
in the Wissahickon. These rangers, along with police officers from the 5th and 14th Districts, have been
patrolling the park throughout the summer. The efforts of these public servants have improved the park
experience for all visitors by reducing problems such as illegal parking, swimming, diving, and littering,
and violations of open container laws and the City-wide leash law.
Because we value your feedback, FOW conducted our third park user survey this past year, which
concluded in July. This was our most comprehensive to date and included, for the first time, state-of-theart
mechanical counters as well as observational information and personal interviews. We plan to publish a
report on its findings in our winter issue.
And because we value our relationship with all park users, we invite you to join us at one of our many
events this fall: Valley Talks; Trail Ambassador Hikes; Whispers Along the Wissahickon; Winter in the
Wissahickon; and, of course, Volunteer Work Days. We can’t do it without you, and we wouldn’t want to. United Way Donations
The Friends of the Wissahickon can receive
membership/donations through the United Way.
Our United Way number is 9882. If this is the most
convenient way for you to give, please do so. Visit our
website (www.fow.org) to learn about the benefits of
membership in the Friends of the Wissahickon.
2
Friends of the Wissahickon • Fall 2012
From the Director
by Maura McCarthy
8708 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118-2717
Phone: (215) 247-0417 • E-mail: office@fow.org
Website: www.fow.org
______________________________
The mission of the Friends of the Wissahickon
is to preserve the natural beauty and wildness of the
Wissahickon Valley and stimulate
public interest therein.
_____________________________
OFFiCers
John Rollins, President
Bettina Hoerlin, Vice President, Advocacy
Will Whetzel, Vice President, Governance
Jeff Harbison, Treasurer
Richard Berman, Secretary
____________________________________
pAsT presiDenTs
Cindy Affleck Charles Dilks
Robert A. Lukens David Pope
Edward C. Stainton Robert Vance
____________________________________
bOArD MeMbers
Cindy Affleck
Chris Bentley
Richard Berman
Melen Boothby
Richard P. Brown, Jr.
Stephanie Craighead
Emily Daeschler
Daphne Lynch Fifield
Sam Finney
Shirley Gracie
Heidi Grunwald
Jeff Harbison
Robert Harries
Cindy Heckscher
David Hilton
Bettina Hoerlin
Louise Johnston
Courtney Kapp
John Kelly
Martha Kennedy
Richard Kremnick
Charles Lee, Jr.
Jerome Maddox
John Meigs
Liz Pearson
David Pope
John Rollins
Liz Werthan
Will Whetzel
____________________________________
sTAFF
Maura McCarthy, Executive Director
Ruffian Tittmann, Development Director
Audrey Simpson, Business Manager
Denise Larrabee, Editor/Publicist
Dan Mercer, Volunteer Coordinator
Henry Stroud, Project Manager
Zane Magnuson, Development Assistant
Sarah Marley, Outreach Coordinator
______________________________________
NewSleTTer
Denise Larrabee, Editor
Dena Sher, Associate Editor • Sarah West, Listings Editor
Moon Design, Layout
Published by INTERPRINT of Bristol, PA.
Printed on recycled paper.

NEWSbrieFs VALLEYTALKs
FOW Receives Grants for
Sustainable Trails Initiative
FOW has been awarded three grants for STI projects.
A grant of $10,000 was awarded from the PECO Green
Region Program, the company’s municipal open space
and environmental grant program, in partnership with the
Natural Lands Trust. The grant will support trail restoration
at the Andorra Natural Area, which represents Stage 4 of STI.
A grant from REI of $15,000 will fund work at Kitchen’s
Lane, where FOW will close two dangerous, rapidly
eroding sections of trail totaling 800 feet. These closures
will be replaced with 700 feet of new trails and 1.75 acres of
restored habitat. A grant from the McLean Contributionship in the amount of $25,000 will
support the installation of a large back porch with a living green roof at the Wissahickon
Environmental Center (WEC). This project is also part of Stage 4 of STI.
Public Meeting on
Sustainable Trails Initiative
The Friends of the Wissahickon will be scheduling a Public Meeting
on progress made to date on the Sustainable Trails Initiative (STI),
upcoming STI projects, and new Park Signage for Wissahickon Valley
Park on Thursday, December 6, 2012, at 6 p.m. at Founders Hall, New
Covenant Campus. Upcoming work includes projects at the Andorra
Natural Area and the Wissahickon Environmental Center. The signage
plan has been in development for approximately five years and is part
of STI. This signage project is the first comprehensive plan for a new
park-wide signage system that will orient park users during their visits
to the Wissahickon and help them deal with potential safety and health
emergencies on the trails.
New Wissahickon Map
Coming from FOW
The Friends of the Wissahickon is updating its popular Map of
the Wissahickon Valley with a projected publication date of December
2012. “FOW solicited public input with an online survey in July,”
says Project Manager Henry Stroud, “and we were very happy
with the response.” One popular suggestion from the survey: park
users would like to see the length of upper trails indicated on the
map, which FOW is working to provide in this new edition. The
new map is also expected to feature updated graphics, safety and
emergency guidelines, streamlined content, and accurate trail
locations reflecting re-routes from FOW’s Sustainable Trail Initiative.
Wissahickon Environmental Center
FOW Announces Winner of IPAD
from Park User Survey
FOW awarded a free IPAD to Kate Simmer of Center
City. Simmer completed FOW’s park user survey allowing her
to be entered into a drawing for the IPAD and a free FOW
membership. The park user survey, My Park Counts, was
launched in July 2011 and was the most comprehensive park
survey of the Wissahickon Valley ever conducted, utilizing
state-of-the-art mechanical counters as well as observational
information and personal interviews. FOW expects to announce
results of the survey by year’s end. The data collected will help FOW and Philadelphia Parks
& Recreation take more effective action in designing capital investment, programming, and
outreach strategies, as well as minimizing user-conflict.
Urban Agriculture in Philadelphia
Wednesday, October 3 at 6 pm
Join Mary Seton Corboy and
Phil Forsyth for a conversation
about the benefits of fresh local
food and the opportunities and
challenges facing urban agriculture
in Philadelphia. Mary Seton Corboy
is a Greensgrow co-founder and
Chief Farm Hand. Located on an
acre in Kensington, Greensgrow was
founded in 1997 and is a thriving
nursery, market, and 500-member
CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) supported
by a network of farms within 100 miles of Philadelphia.
Corboy is also the founder of the Neighborhood Urban
Agriculture Coalition, Co-Founder of the Farmers Market
Alliance, and was named in Organic Style Magazine’s top 50
“Environmental Power List.”
Phil Forsyth, director of the
Philadelphia Orchard Project (POP),
has led its orchard design and
development since its first plantings
in the spring of 2007. POP works
with community-based groups and
volunteers to plan and plant orchards
filled with useful and edible plants
in mostly low-wealth communities
throughout the city. As Orchard
Director, Forsyth coordinates the
evaluation and communication with site partners, planning
and planting of orchards, and training in orchard care.
He is a professional landscape designer with ten years of
experience in urban farming, landscaping, and gardening,
and writes about urban food growing for various
magazines and at www.phigblog.com.
Creating the East Coast Greenway
Wednesday, november 7 at 6 pm
Andy Hamilton, the Mid-Atlantic
Trail Coordinator for the East Coast
Greenway Alliance, will discuss the
East Coast Greenway and how it
enhances local communities as well
as the region at large. The East
Coast Greenway is envisioned as a
long-distance, urban, shared-use trail
system linking 25 major cities along
the eastern seaboard between Calais, Maine, and Key
West, Florida. Hamilton will consider the benefits to public
health by improving access to active transportation and the
importance of the natural and cultural experiences that
the East Coast Greenway connects millions of Americans
to, by bicycle and foot. His professional experience lies in
landscape architecture, where he has spent almost two
decades at Carter Van Dyke Associates enriching spaces
such as the greenways or linear park segments in our
corridor.
Valley Talks are held at Valley Green Inn on Forbidden
Drive in Wissahickon Valley Park.
Fall 2012 • Friends of the Wissahickon 3

VOLUNTEERUpDATe
National Trails Day
FOW partnered with REI on National Trails Day at the Andorra Natural
Area. Volunteers expanded a meadow area by removing invasive plants and
vines. This event was a continuation of work performed by Crefeld School
volunteers and will be the site of future work this fall and spring, when work
commences on trail reroutes that go through the cleared area.
Thanks to: David Bower and Steve O’Kula from Philadelphia Parks &
Recreation (PPR) for leading the workday, and REI for sponsoring the event and
providing lunch.
High-School Senior
Community Service
This past May, four high-school seniors
completed their senior year community service
with FOW. Two students from Lower Merion High
School, Sam Mark and Chris Jarmus, assisted with
various trail work projects, and Ivan Levingston,
from Barrack Hebrew Academy, performed work in
the field and the office, scanning several hundred
photographs of the park for FOW’s photo archive.
Deirdre Braun, from Springside Academy, also
worked in the office and used her claymation
talents to produce a short film about recent projects
in the Wissahickon. We thank all of them for their
hard work.
Crefeld Day
of Service
Crefeld School students
finished their year of
community service in June
and celebrated with ice
cream at Custard & Cakes
Creamery on Ridge Avenue.
The students worked on a
variety of projects in the park
every Wednesday afternoon
performing trash cleanups, habitat restoration, and trail maintenance. Their
hard work is greatly appreciated as well as the able leadership of David Bower
from PPR and the following Crefeld teachers: Norman Carter; Sarah Franzel;
and Dave Dannenberg. We look forward to working with the students again in
the coming school year.
4
Friends of the Wissahickon • Fall 2012
Deirdre Braun
by Dan Mercer, Volunteer Coordinator
Volunteer Training
FOW held two training classes this summer. The first class taught crew
leaders how to lead restoration projects, and was taught by Sarah Low from
the U.S. Forest Service and Susannah Beckett of Wissahickon Restoration
Volunteers. Volunteers restored the Bell’s Mill Trail entrance to the Orange
Trail that was heavily damaged during last year’s flooding. Thanks to: Kevin
Kramer, Wendy Willard, Drew Miller, and John Cassidy. Wendy Willard
provided the planting plan for the restoration and she and John Cassidy
finished the planting. (See p. 11 for more on this project.) Another training
session was led by Rich Edwards from the International Mountain Bicycling
Association (IMBA) Trail Solutions team and focused on managing
volunteers. Thanks to: Dmitri Zorine, Drew Miller, Chuck Uniatowski,
Nick Uniatowski, Kenn Rymdeko, Chuck Kirkland, John Cassidy, and
Kevin Kramer.
Devil’s Pool Clean Up
FOW volunteers have been cleaning up the Devil’s Pool area regularly
since April. The Student Conservation Association (SCA) took on this
responsibility during the month of July. (see page 11) Thanks to: Ryan
Mitchell for removing litter and assisting with the installation of signs listing
park rules; Greg Lech and Richard Smith for removing litter on many
workdays, in particular the 70 bags of trash on a hot and humid day this
summer; PPR staff for removing trash bags; and the following volunteers
who cleaned up after the Memorial Day weekend—Suzanne and Allison
Coste and Trail Ambassadors Lisa Kolker, Phil Rush, and Gerry Schweiger.
FOW PHOtO COntest — enter and Vote!
FOW is looking for striking images of the Wissahickon that capture its natural beauty and wildness.
Enter our biennial photo contest for a chance to showcase your work and win prizes.
Photo entries are posted to FOW’s Facebook page so the public may view all entries and vote for their favorites.
Deadline for submitting photos and voting for your favorite is October 1, 2012, at 5 p.m.
For complete submission guidelines, rules, and an official entry form,
go to http://www.fow.org/about-park/activities/photography/2012-photo-contest.
Questions? Contact Sarah Marley at marley@fow.org or 215-247-0417 x109.
“Sunlight on Forbidden Drive”
submitted by Richard Frey

Cresheim Trail
FOW has been partnering with the Friends of the
Cresheim Trail (FOCT) on a trail running from the
intersection of Allens Lane and Lincoln Drive to the trail
head near Buttercup Cottage on Emlen Street, which is now
complete. This will improve access to the trails along the
Cresheim Creek for residents of East Mt. Airy. In addition, a
0.75 mile loop has been built on park land on the west side
of Cresheim Road.
Thanks to: Dave Dannenberg, Dmitri Zorine, and
Chuck Uniatowski for designing the trail, and to Chuck and
Dmitri for running the SK-500 to build the trail. Thanks
also to the following crew leaders: Dave Dannenberg, Dmitri
Zorine, Nick Uniatowski, Chuck Uniatowski, Lance Honer,
Kevin Kramer, John Cassidy, Kenn Rymdeko, and Chuck
Kirkland.
Special thanks to: Sue Dannenberg and Sharon
Corbin of FOCT for organizing several work days, and the
volunteers from In Posse, a local engineering company, who
completed work on a recently cut trail on an extremely hot
and humid day.
FOW Summer Volunteers
FOW has been fortunate to have two new
volunteers working regularly this summer in the
Wissahickon. Greg lech, an Aquatic Scientist with
a Master of Science: Fisheries from Louisiana State
University, inventoried every sign in the park for
the new signage plan. He also completed the count
corrections needed to complete FOW’s park user
survey and assisted the Structures Crew and Volunteer
Coordinator Dan Mercer on FOW workdays. richard
Smith, a high-school student from the Crefeld
School, assisted Lech with the park survey project and
cleaned up litter from Devil’s Pool, removed bamboo
at the Andorra Natural Area, and helped with trail
maintenance.
David Bower
A Passion for Parks
David Bower is one of the most familiar and
visible persons seen in Philadelphia parks—
he is over 6’6” tall. Currently, he is employed,
as he has been for 14 years, by Philadelphia Parks &
Recreation (PPR) as Volunteer Coordinator for the parks
in the Northwest section of Philadelphia.
Long before Bower held a paid position for the park, and
while he had a full-time job as a human resource manager for a retail clothing chain,
he picked up trash in the Wissahickon where he jogged up to ten miles several times a
week. “After a while, I was spending more time picking up trash than running,” he says.
After 30 years, his job in retail ended when the corporation he worked for closed in
1994.
One day in June of that year, he met by Dena Sher, Associate Editor
Joe Dlugash, who was then Chairperson
of FOW’s Conservation Committee. Bower
remembers the day vividly. It was Father’s Day and the temperature was near 100
degrees. Dlugash asked him to help with trail work being undertaken by FOW. This
required moving rocks, clearing underbrush, and reshaping the trails. Despite the heat
and hard physical effort, Bower loved it. He continued all that summer as an FOW
volunteer working with a paid FOW summer intern. At the end of the summer, the
Friends hired him, together with a few others, to work in the Wissahickon on a parttime
basis.
When FOW expanded its volunteer activities in the mid-1990s, Bower accepted the
new position of Volunteer Coordinator. He describes the next chapter of his life working
in Philadelphia parks simply: “I was very fortunate to be in the right place at the right
time.”
In 1998, the William Penn Foundation, celebrating its 50th anniversary, awarded a
grant of $50 million to the city, the largest municipal grant ever awarded to Philadelphia.
Fairmount Park received $26 million, whereas the rest of the grant went to Philadelphia
libraries. With the grant, Fairmount Park developed a seven-year program, the Natural
Lands Restoration Environmental and Education Program (NLREEP), to achieve the
defined goal of restoring Philadelphia’s watershed parks: Wissahickon, Pennypack,
Poquessing, Tacony, Cobbs Creek, and the FDR estuary.
As part of NLREEP, four Volunteer Coordinators were hired to work with schools,
businesses, and individuals. Bower, with his FOW experience and support from
Fairmount Park staff, was one of the four. He continued to work for Fairmount Park
after the NLREEP grant ended.
Since the merger in 2010 of the Philadelphia Recreation Department with Fairmount
Park resulting in the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Department, Bower’s working sites
have altered. He is now mainly involved with neighborhood parks in the Northwest
section of Philadelphia and often puts in much more than a 40-hour work week
building the stewardship capacity of these smaller, community parks. “I attend a lot of
meetings,” he says, but he still leads volunteer groups doing hands-on work.
The neighborhood parks often lack access to materials and transportation which
is provided by PPR, private donors, or business sources. It is Bower’s job to coordinate
what is needed. He thoroughly enjoys and shares the passion of park volunteers, stating,
“The diversity is intriguing, but all focus on their common goal of improving their park.”
His ideal vision of park management is a partnership of all the stakeholders,
including PPR, the Philadelphia Water Department, businesses, schools, and individuals.
“We can’t count on tax dollars to pay for parks. We have to look for creative ways to
achieve the current goal of PPR for parks—Safe, Clean, and Ready to Use.”
Bower, now 62, loves his work as Volunteer Coordinator, but sometimes thinks
ahead to the day he will retire. He believes he will continue to volunteer for his beloved
parks. “The day I retire,” he says, “I bet I’ll phone the FOW volunteer coordinator and
ask him to give me a shovel.” We bet he will, too.
Fall 2012 • Friends of the Wissahickon 5

Keeping Up With The TrAiL AMbAssADOrs
Trail Ambassadors Program
Going Strong
The Trail Ambassador program
is now in its fifth year and still
growing by leaps and bounds.
This program, launched in 2008
with a class of 12 volunteers, has
expanded to a corps of over 60 Trail
Ambassadors (TAs) in 2012. The Trail
Ambassadors serve as the eyes and
ears of FOW in the park, traversing
the trails all year round, patrolling the
park, and talking with Wissahickon
Valley Park visitors. They answer
questions about wildlife, plants,
historical points of interest, and park Trail Ambassadors Dianne
rules and regulations, as well as assist Dichter and John Duffin on
park users with any safety or first aid patrol in the Wissahickon.
needs. Every year has seen increased
coordination with the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Ranger
Corps. Trail Ambassadors check in with the Rangers when they
begin and end their shifts in the park and file field reports for every
shift with the FOW office and the PPR Ranger Supervisor. The
information collected by the Trail Ambassadors is useful in showing
trends in park usage and regulation compliance in the Wissahickon.
FOW now offers
biannual training by Sarah Marley, Outreach Coordinator
courses in the spring
and fall. TAs learn about a variety of topics, including the history of
Wissahickon Valley Park, the science of the Wissahickon watershed,
the geologic history of the park, and plant and wildlife identification.
Additionally, they are briefed about ongoing projects and current rules
and regulations of the park and certified in First Aid and CPR. This
extensive training allows them to become experts in the Wissahickon,
which provides a valuable public service to all park users they
encounter.
All Trail Ambassadors are encouraged to continue learning about
the Wissahickon through monthly continuing education opportunities
and to develop guided walks on specific subjects that appeal to them.
In 2011, Trail Ambassadors led over 40 guided walks on a variety of
Wissahickon subjects and staffed information tables at 12 events at
various locations in Philadelphia. Through these outreach events, Trail
Ambassadors are able to share their knowledge of the Wissahickon
and explain the importance and impact of FOW’s work throughout
the park.
TA Bruce Wagner delivered a lecture at The Cedars House in August: Realism
or Impressionism - Photographic Visions of My Valley. He will be presenting this
same lecture at REI Conshohocken on September 24 at 7 pm. For more
information, visit: www.rei.com
6
Friends of the Wissahickon • Fall 2012
TA Field Report
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012, 4:55 pm
To: Sarah Marley
Cc: Fairmount Park Rangers Office
From: Susan and Donald Simon
Patrolled area from Pachella Field to Forbidden
Drive; Forbidden Drive to Northwestern Avenue;
returned on Forbidden Drive.
Gave park user info. re. location of Indian
Statue. Showed him the location on the map and
told him maps were available at VGI (Valley Green
Inn). Talked to children about where to find water
snakes at VGI. Met the new summer Park Rangers
and spoke with Les Green, Park Ranger Supervisor.
Spoke with a police officer from the 14th
District riding a trail motorcycle about the Trail
Ambassador program.
There was an accident on the Orange Trail
where a runner suffered a turned ankle. The Park
Rangers were assisting but they had very limited
first aid materials. Gave them our cold packs.
Spotted a deer grazing near the creek between Bell’s
Mill and Northwestern Avenue and pointed the deer
out to park users.
This is a sample of an FOW Trail Ambassadors field report; they
are routinely submitted after a patrol shift in the Wissahickon.
Ask a Trail Ambassador
What is a trail Ambassador
safety Liaison?
Every week during the summer, there are thefts reported from cars parked in
lots in Wissahickon Valley Park. While FOW’s Trail Ambassadors (TAs) knew
crime was occurring, they were not certain what types of crime were being
reported, when and where they were happening, or how to best communicate
this information to generate public awareness. So, in response to these thefts and
other safety issues, the TAs
developed the position of By Kim Quinn, Trail Ambassador and Safety Liaison
Safety Liaison in 2009.
As Safety Liaison, I compile crime reports every month from EveryBlock.com,
which I encourage all park users to visit in order to monitor what is happening in
their neck of the woods. This report is sent to all TAs and FOW administrators, as
well as to the Fairmount Park Ranger Corps. Together with the Philadelphia Police
(5th & 14th Districts), who also report on EveryBlock.com, FOW Trail Ambassadors
have created a strong network for educating park users on safety.
Car thefts are still the crime most frequently reported, BUT the rate of car thefts
is decreasing and TAs have been on the trails and in parking lots educating visitors
on this and similar issues. This summer, Park Rangers and police from Districts 5 and
14 have also been patrolling the park more often. (See p. 10 for more on this topic.)
Remember, if you see any suspicious activity, dial 911 to report it when you are able.

trail Ambassador Hikes —
General Information: Unless otherwise specified Trail Ambassador hikes may use rocky, rugged trails that may be wet and slippery. Please wear sturdy shoes or boots with socks. Long pants
are recommended for protection against occasional poison ivy and possible ticks. Bring water and a snack if desired. Children over 7 are welcome if accompanied by a responsible adult.
Walks are cancelled in heavy rain. Registration is not required, but is recommended so that you can be informed of weather or other emergency cancellations. More info: marley@fow.org.
Geology Hike with Sarah West
saturday, september 22 at 3 pm
Meet at Valley Green Inn. Difficulty: rough, steep trail on the east side of the creek,
upstream from Valley Green. Distance: 1.5 miles. Duration: 1.75 hours. It can be
slippery or muddy in places. We will discuss the likely formation of Wissahickon
rocks as the result of plate tectonics and identify several different types. This hike is
suitable for children ten years and older accompanied by a responsible adult. Please
bring water and sturdy footwear. More info: westsarah@aol.com.
Three Mile Hikes with Kimberly Quinn
Wednesday, september 26 at 5:30 pm
Wednesday, October 17 at 5:30 pm
Wednesday, november 14 at 5:30 pm
Meet at Valley Green Inn. Difficulty: moderate; group sets pace. Distance: 3+ miles.
Duration: 2 hours. We will hike the Orange Trail, downstream from Valley Green.
Wear supportive hiking shoes & bring water. Cameras & binoculars encouraged.
Experience caves, the Fingerspan Bridge, Devil’s Pool, the Spring House,
Shakespeare’s Rock, learn about major improvements to the trails, Livezey Mill,
and more. Hopefully, spot some wildlife. Suitable for children eight years and older
accompanied by a responsible adult. More info: kimberlyaquinn@gmail.com.
Seeking the Photographers Experiences in the Wissahickon
with Bruce Wagner
saturday, October 6 at 10 am
Meet at Cedars House, on Forbidden Drive near Northwestern Ave. Duration:
1.5 to 2 hours. We will walk from Cedars House to the Covered Bridge along the
Orange Trail, and return either along Forbidden Drive or along a different woodsy
trail. On the walk we will be on the lookout for photographic settings to be enjoyed
as they are or as they might be used for impressionistic photos. Cameras are
encouraged, but not necessary. More info: bwagner@temple.edu.
Orange Trail Hike with Merritt Rhoad
sunday, October 7 at 1 pm
Meet at Northwestern Ave. and Forbidden Drive. Difficulty: moderate. Distance: 4
miles. Duration: 2-2.5 hours. Hike along Forbidden Drive to Bell’s Mill Rd. and then
along the Orange & White Trails to the Indian Statue with return to Northwestern
Ave. along Forbidden Drive. Learn a little bit more about Wissahickon history and
nature.
Mouth of the Wissahickon with Scott Quitel.
saturday, October 20 at 9 am
Meet near the Battle of Germantown Tablet in the parking area where Forbidden
Drive meets Lincoln Drive. Difficulty: mildly strenuous. Duration: 2.5 hours. We
will explore interesting sections of the less traveled lower Park. Along the way, we
will visit Lover’s Leap and Hermit’s Cave and take in breath-taking views and see
ancient boulders and gnarly old chestnut oaks. We will also traverse one of
the more secluded side trails in the park. More info: squitel@comcast.net.
A Woodsy Trek to Visit Our Legendary Indian
with Bruce Wagner
sunday, October 21 at 2 pm
Meet at the Valley Green Inn Warming Shed. Duration: 2 hours. We will
walk to the Indian Statue and through the woods on rocky trails. Using
story and photograph we will experience the past and present of the
Wissahickon. We will explore the Indian Statue, Council Rock, and the
Victorian stairway that marks the inclusion of the Wissahickon Valley in
Philadelphia’s 1876 U.S.A. Centennial. For our return, the group will decide
whether to walk along Forbidden Drive or a woodsy path on the other side
of the Creek. More info: bwagner@temple.edu.
Walking in Honor of the Anniversary of the Fingerspan
Bridge with Bruce Wagner
saturday, October 27 at 10 am
Meet at Valley Green Inn. A dedicated walk to the Fingerspan, which is celebrating
its 25th anniversary. Difficulty: some rocky trails. Distance: 3 miles. Duration: 2
hours. Hikers Choice: hike along Forbidden Drive to Mt. Airy Bridge and then
upstream along the Orange Trail to the Fingerspan OR downstream along the
Orange Trail to the Fingerspan and continue downstream to Mt. Airy Bridge and
return along Forbidden Drive to the Inn. We will recognize the Fingerspan in
pictures and history. More info: bwagner@temple.edu.
Lower Forbidden Drive with Sarah West
sunday, October 28 at 3 pm
Meet at the small parking lot where Forbidden Drive meets Lincoln Drive, a short
distance down- stream from RittenhouseTown. Duration: 1.75 hours. Distance: 1
mile along lower Forbidden Drive on level ground as far as the Walnut Lane Bridge.
Highlights: two historical sites connected to the Revolutionary War era; the Blue
Stone Bridge; the foundation of the Lotus Inn; Walnut Lane Bridge; discussion of
the Wissahickon Turnpike and Forbidden Drive. Children with a responsible adult
are welcome. More info: westsarah@aol.com
The Heart of the Park with Scott Quitel
saturday, november 10 at 9 am
Park and meet at the foot of Rex Ave., where it enters the park. Difficulty:
rigorous with one stream crossing, where Cresheim Creek enters the Wissahickon.
Duration: 3 hours. We will visit several of the park’s greatest attractions, including
the Indian Statue, Livezey Dam, Shakespeare Rock, Devil’s Pool, the gravity sewer,
the Fingerspan, and a hidden cave. Along the way, enjoy a lesson on the gorge’s
ancient and intriguing geology and discuss the state of the Wissahickon Creek and
its surrounding forest. More info: squitel@comcast.net.
Wissahickon Stormwater Project Walk with Peg Shaw
saturday, november 17 at 10 am
Meet at lower parking lot (Chestnut Hill Side) of Bell’s Mill Road. Duration: 3
hours. Wondering what’s happening along Bell’s Mill Road? Join us for this hike
and discussion of land use and storm water impacts on the Wissahickon Valley as
we take a look at the Philadelphia Water Department’s stream channel mitigation
project along Bell’s Mill Road. Wear appropriate hiking shoes and weatherappropriate
clothing. If it’s raining, we’ll still do the tour - it may even enhance what
we learn!
Learn More
About the
Trail
Ambassador
Program
www.fow.org
Thanks valley Green inn!
Trail Ambassadors were at Valley Green to meet
and greet visitors to Ales for Trails, a fundraising
event sponsored by Valley Green Inn to benefit trail
maintenance by the Friends of the Wissahickon.
Fall 2012 • Friends of the Wissahickon
7

8
Warming Shed is
Lucky to Have
FOW’s
Structures
Crew
By Denise Larrabee, Editor
On April 3, 2012, FOW’s Structures Crew held a Topping Out
Ceremony to commemorate the completion of the wood frame
of the roof on the Warming Shed at Valley Green, historically and
presently used by equestrians to temporarily tie up their horses. A Topping
Out is held when the last beam is placed in the building of a structure or
at some other significant intermediate point. The event usually includes the
placing of an evergreen tree upon the structure to symbolize growth and
bestow good luck upon the building—and the Warming Shed at Valley
Green could definitely use some good luck.
The project to rebuild the Warming Shed, begun in the fall of 2010, marks
the fourth time the Friends of the Wissahickon has restored this structure in
recent years. In 1998, FOW raised $10,000 to restore the shed, built prior to
Valley Green Inn and a long-standing landmark, after it collapsed. Historically,
it provided cover for horse-drawn carriages and horseback riders wishing to
stop at the Inn or protect themselves from the elements. Several years later, a
fire burned two large holes in the shed, which FOW repaired. Soon after, a large
hemlock tree fell on the building, requiring more repair work. Then, in the fall
of 2010, the structure burned down due to an electrical fire during a rain storm.
But the Structures Crew is not solely relying on the Topping Out Ceremony
to improve the fortunes of the Warming Shed. New and improved plans have
been obtained to insure better construction.
“It is the same design we had before, but the quality of the construction
is better,” says Structures Crew Leader Buzz Wemple. No short cuts were
allowed. The sections of the structure are intricately joined with pegs and an
eighteenth-century-style joiner. “The joints fit better, patience was exercised, and
measurements were double and triple checked, and the whole craftsmanship
was much better on this one.”
All of this is due to the leadership of Mike Souders, Buzz Wemple’s partner
in managing the project. “The shed has turned out as well as it has because of
Mike Souders,” says Wemple. “He’s a remarkable guy in every way. His patience,
his creativity, and his commitment to accuracy is amazing. He’s brilliant. He
exercised the patience and control that made things turn out the right way.”
“For the Structures Crew, it’s really been a labor of love,” says Executive
Director Maura McCarthy. “All of the crew has dedicated a tremendous amount
of personal time and commitment to the project and FOW is truly grateful.”
Friends of the Wissahickon • Fall 2012
FOW’s Structures Crew: (left to right) Mike Souders, Ron Kanter, Merritt
Rhoad, Jeff Hayes, Tim Smigelski Richard Berman, Buzz Wemple, and Bill
Thompson (on ladder). Not pictured: Greg Lech.
The old Warming Shed can be seen in the foreground of this photo taken of
Valley Green in 1912. Photo courtesy of Chestnut Hill Historical Society.
Ride to Rebuild
You might think that FOW and its Structures Crew would have
thrown up their hands after the electrical fire in 2010, given the
amount of time, money, and volunteer labor they had already
invested in the Warming Shed. But these enthusiastic volunteers don’t give
up easily and the Wissahickon equestrian community stepped up with
enthusiasm and support.
Only a few weeks after the fire, equestrians rode through Wissahickon
Valley Park to raise money to rebuild the Warming Shed. Ride to Rebuild,
organized by the Philadelphia Chapter of the Pennsylvania Equine Council
and FOW to help finance the cost of reconstructing the shed, raised over
$8,000 toward the estimated construction cost of $20,000. Approximately
50 horseback riders participated in the fundraising effort: members from
Courtesy Stable in Roxborough, Monastery Stable in Mount Airy and
Northwestern Stable in Chestnut Hill, as well as riders from New Jersey,
Harrisburg, and York.

The Structures Crew
Since 1996, FOW’s Structures Committee has completed
countless building projects throughout Wissahickon Valley
Park, with the goal of maintaining the integrity and heritage
of the region. The group has been led by various volunteers over
the years, including Tom Ryan, Buzz Wemple, Ed Stainton, and
Richard Berman. The Warming Shed project has been led by
Buzz Wemple and Mike Souders. According to Stainton, the
Crew’s first project was building a new roof for the Rex Avenue
WPA (Works Progress Administration) shelter with the help of
the Chestnut Hill Rotary Club and the Fairmount Park District
Manager at the time, Chris Palmer.
Thirteen guard houses built by the WPA remain in the
Wissahickon. These structures, which once served as shelters for
park guards, date from the late 1930s. The WPA completed many
additional projects throughout the Park, including picnic shelters
and toilet sheds, in a design that is known as the National Park
Style. They also renovated Valley Green Inn, enlarged the Walnut
Lane Golf Course, and repaired and rerouted trails. (For more on
the WPA, see FOW’s Summer 2007 newsletter, p. 13, available at
http://www.fow.org/sites/default/files/FOW-newsletter-Summer-2007.
pdf.)
Upon the completion of the Rex Avenue shelter, FOW’s board
members committed to restoring all of the WPA shelters, with
permission from Fairmount Park. This has served as the core of
the Structures Crew’s work, but they perform other duties as well,
such as: repairing, replacing, and installing new railings; erecting
fences; building bulletin boards, board walks, gates, doors, bridges,
benches, and bleachers; and constructing picnic pavilions and
trellises.
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and District 4 staff have been
very supportive of FOW’s work, which focuses mainly on wooden,
man-made structures, such as bridges, shelters, fences, gates, and
signs. While the Friends supply their own tools and materials, PPR
supplies the large equipment.
Skip Seifert and Cynthia Turecki head down Forbidden Drive
during the fundraiser Ride to Rebuild in 2010.
Buzz Wemple and Mike
Souders taking measurements
at the rear of the roof.
Ray Bevenour from Philadelphia Parks & Recreation District 4 works with the
Structures Crew. He is operating a back-hoe to lift 350 lb. beams that will support the
Warming Shed roof. Rear: Mike Souders and Bill Thompson. Foreground: Merritt
Rhoad, Tim Smigelski, Richard Berman, and Buzz Wemple. Photo by Ron Kanter.
Join
FOW
on
Facebook
& Twitter
Fall 2012 • Friends of the Wissahickon
9

10
WATERSHEDWATCh
FOW Project Update
This summer was hot! While FOW’s field work slowed dramatically,
due to heat and equipment breakdowns, the Friends completed
several smaller projects with the help of a work crew from the Student
Conservation Association (SCA). Together, FOW and SCA installed new split
rail fencing in several locations, performed routine trail maintenance, and
cleaned trash regularly from Ten Box and Devil’s Pool. (See story on p. 11)
In early summer, storms By Henry Stroud, Project Manager
damaged one of the new trails
at Blue Bell Picnic Grove sending FOW back to the drawing board to come
up with better solutions to control stormwater on-site. Working alongside
Steve Thomas, one of the FOW’s trail consultants, two armored dips were
constructed to allow water to pass over the trail without eroding it further. This
fall, FOW will repair the gravel section of the trail and rehabilitate surrounding
areas that were damaged during construction.
As many of you know, FOW
also funds and coordinates
projects designed to protect
water quality and restore habitat.
Currently, the organization is
in the planning and permitting
stages for a major restoration of
the stream and parking lot along
Valley Green Road. Other projects
scheduled for 2013 include the
installation of a composting toilet
at Andorra, as well as several new
trail construction projects that
will be announced in the coming
months.
FOW has also been moving
forward on several initiatives to
improve the overall experience of
park visitors to the Wissahickon.
Notably, redesigning the Map of the
Wissahickon Valley and creating
new templates for trail signage. (See
p. 3 for more information on these
projects.)
Whispers Along the Wissahickon
Friends of the Wissahickon • Fall 2012
FOW erected a new fence at Valley Green
with help from Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
District 4. Pictured here is Dan Kronmiller of
PPR District 4.
Friday, October 19• 5:30 to 9 pm
Hay Rides, Live Music, and More!
Wissahickon Environmental Center
300 Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118
Everyone is encouraged to come in costume.
$30 adults and $15 children • $85 Family of four
Includes food, beverages, beer, and wine
Tickets on sale now at www.fow.org
Buy your tickets soon! Tickets are limited. No tickets sold at event.
This is a Rain or Shine event.
Police and Rangers
Enforce Park Rules
Their efforts improve Wissahickon habitat and park user experience.
Police officers from the 5th and 14th Districts and Fairmount Park
Rangers made a concerted effort to enforce rules and regulations
in Wissahickon Valley Park this summer. Police officers issued
warnings and citations to park users for violations such as littering,
swimming, and parking illegally in the area between Valley Green and
Devil’s Pool. “We are not trying to keep people out of the park,” said
Sgt. Mike Vassallo of the 5th District. “We just want them to follow the
rules.” Park Rangers from Philadelphia Parks & Recreation increased
their presence in the Wissahickon and helped reduce problems such as
illegal parking, swimming, diving, and littering, and violations of open
container laws and the City-wide leash law, which requires all dogs in
the park to be on a six-foot leash.
The Friends of
the Wissahickon
saw improvement
in the amount of
litter at Devil’s Pool
this summer. The
SCA crew working
at the site regularly
throughout the
summer found
approximately 95%
of litter at the area left
in bags, which is an improvement over
previous years.
Fairmount Park Rangers: Serena Chiles,
Ian Bassett, Kareem Townes, and
Richard Gonzalez.
“The police and ranger presence
was really beneficial as a reminder to the public that park rules exist to
ensure public safety and everyone’s enjoyment of the park,” says Maura
McCarthy, Executive Director. “The work they did in educating the public
this summer was important because we want all Philadelphians to feel
welcome and safe in the park. FOW is grateful to the Philadelphia Police
officers and the Park Rangers for this investment of their time and efforts.”
The Chestnut Hill Office
is proud to support the Friends of the Wissahickon
Justin M. Baxter
Baiyina Brown
Ingrid Brown
Carolyn Cotton
Bibby Crane
Janet W. Cribbins
Suzanne Danella
Dolores Dougherty
Lisa Edmonds
Thomas Emlen
Ellen L.Goodwin
Kat Grant
Cherry Harrison
Louise R. Johnston
Janet Lippincott
Chestnut Hill Office
14 West Evergreen Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118
215-247-3750
prufoxroach.com
Lori Lorenz
Mark Malfara
Mary McNamara
Susie O’Neil
Bill Shelton
Michael Sivel
Daniel Smith
Dorothy Storm
Pam Rosser Thistle
Danielle Tucciarone
Judith von Scheven
Rosalie Warren
N. Dudley Warwick
Patricia S. Webster
Loretta C. Witt

SCA Crew Making a Difference
Less Litter at Devil’s Pool Thanks to
Student Conservation Association.
The Friends of the Wissahickon saw improvement in the
amount of litter at Devil’s Pool this summer. Philadelphia
high-school students from the Student Conservation
Association (SCA), who clean the site regularly throughout the
summer, found approximately 95% of litter at the area left in
bags, which is an improvement over previous years.
Several factors contributed to this development, including
increased Park Ranger and Police presence (see article on p. 10),
but students from SCA played a significant role as well. SCA has
been working with the Friends since 2009 by cleaning the site
regularly and educating visitors on park stewardship. Last year, the
SCA crew designed and mounted a trash bag dispenser at Devil’s
Pool. As a result, this year’s crew is able to make quick work of
cleaning the site and spend more time working on other projects
in the Wissahickon.
Those other projects include removing graffiti and invasive
plants from the park, clearing sight lines, constructing berms and
armored dips along trails, reinforcing split rail fences, and cleaning
sections of the Wissahickon Creek. Because of the exceedingly
dry weather, the SCA Crew also watered plants at several recent
planting sites: Carpenter’s Woods; Kitchen’s Lane; and the trail
head restoration at Bell’s Mill Road.
Student Conservation Association Crew: Sitting: Rachel Collier,
Quadir Monroe, Brianna Belo, Apprentice Leader Maryanne
Manual. Standing: Darren Fields, Terence Melton, Crew Leader
Cindy LaRue.
Winter in the Wissahickon
Saturday, December 1 • noon to 4pm
valley Green inn
Enjoy chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack-Frost
nipping at your nose, and creating your own holiday wreath!
Decorated wreaths made from evergreens can cost $75.
At Winter in the Wissahickon, a family of four can create their
own wreath and enjoy roasted chestnuts, warm apple cider
and a light lunch buffet at Valley Green Inn, all for $75.
Experts will be on hand to help you design your wreath
with assorted white pine cones, incense-cedar with yellow tips,
juniper with blue berries, and holly with red berries.
Adults $30 • Children $10 • Family of four $75
Price includes one wreath per adult or family and all food
and beverages. Rain or shine event; tickets are limited. For
more info. or to purchase tickets visit www.fow.org.
With Hope and a Prayer
The Wissahickon Creek has inundated
the surrounding ground, carried away
most of the existing plants, and deeply
eroded the fragile banks. Not really news.
But the most devastating recent event came
last year with Tropical Storm Lee. Lots of
hard work by FOW volunteers at the Bell’s
Mill Trail head, on the Chestnut Hill side of
the Bell’s Mill Bridge, gone. The handicap
accessible trail, the newly planted native
trees and shrubs, and the gently sloping
fishing perches washed away.
WATERSHEDWATCh
But a few Shadbush and River Birch
remained. So there was hope. Henry Stroud,
FOW Project Manager, asked for flood
tolerant suggestions. Trees with long taproots,
like the Black Gum or Tupelo, shrubs and
trees that can stand in water, Buttonbush and
River Birch, and shrubs that like shade and moist
soil, Red Osier Dogwood and Viburnum. FOW
purchased the plant material. A team of planting
leaders volunteered, with the special help of Kevin
Kramer and John Cassidy. So now there is a new piece
by Wendy Willard, Horticulturalist
and Trail Ambassador
Wendy Willard holding ferns at
Bell’s Mill planting site. Volunteers
John Cassidy and Deirdre Braun
also helped with the planting.
of urban forest at the Bell’s Mill Trail head. Let’s pray that the weather gods will be kind
for at least the next five years.
Keep the Conversation Going
What can i plant in my backyard to promote filtration?
Here are some suggestions of native plants from Wendy Willard, Horticulturist and
FOW Trail Ambassador.
Trees:
Larix laricina, Eastern Larch
Nyssa sylvatica, Black Gum or Tupelo
Magnolia virginiana, Sweetbay Magnolia
Carpinus caroliniana, Musclewood
shrubs:
Calycanthus floridus, Carolina Allspice or Sweetshrub
*Itea virginica, Virginia Sweetspire
Vaccinium corymbosum, Highbush Blueberry
Viburnum nudum, Witherod
perennials
Helenium autumnale, Sneezeweed
Lobelia cardinalis, Cardinal Flower
*Chelone glabra, White Turtlehead
With limited time at the Town Meeting on the health of the Wissahickon Creek in March,
not all questions submitted by audience members were answered. FOW posts answers to
remaining questions in each issue of the newsletter as well as on Facebook and the
FOW website.
Fall 2012 • Friends of the Wissahickon
11

Alan Greenberger speaks with
FOW Member Hadley Wilmerding after his presentation.
Former Board Member Dena Sher with
Board Member Bettina Hoerlin
Because FOW President John Rollins could not attend the Annual
Meeting, President Emeritus Cindy Affleck welcomed FOW
members to the meeting on his behalf and presented an overview
of the organization’s efforts to protect the Wissahickon Watershed
in 2011. She made special note of FOW’s partnerships with other
organizations and involvement with the surrounding community on
park projects. Of special note was FOW’s four gully projects, completed
in 2011 with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR), the upcoming
strategic plan, and substantial work on six sites in the park, as well as
many habitat restoration and monitoring projects.
Executive Director Maura McCarthy noted that, taken together,
the gully work completed by FOW, PPR, and the Philadelphia Water
Department (PWD) in 2010 and 2011 represented a total investment of
over $10.6 million in improving the water quality of Wissahickon Creek
and, through the Creek, Philadelphia’s drinking water. In addition, FOW
sponsored six lectures and public events dealing with water quality issues
and worked with WVWA, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council ,
PWD, PPR, the state of Pennsylvania, and townships in Montgomery
County on issues affecting the overall quality of the Wissahickon
Watershed.
FOW launched an updated park user survey, bought a four-wheel
drive van, rebuilt its website, expanded its Facebook and Twitter presence,
began developing a park-wide signage plan with PPR, among other
accomplishments. In addition, the Joint Easement Program with CHHS
was accredited by the Land Trust Alliance and two new staff positions were
added: Outreach Coordinator and Project Manager.
12 Friends of the Wissahickon • Fall 2012
President Emeritus Cindy Affleck and FOW Member Ken Kopple
Trail Ambassadors Carmella Clark, Susan Simon,
Lorraine Linder, and Don Simon
FOW AnnUAL MeeTinG — June 5, 2012
Executive Director Maura McCarthy presents
outgoing Board Member David Dannenberg with
a gift in appreciation for his service.
Treasurer Gene Caffrey reported that 2011 was another good year for
FOW’s finances, a year which saw increased expenditures for the multiyear
Sustainable Trails Initiative, continued financial strength, and an
increase in the proportion of expenditures going directly into park projects,
as opposed to overhead support services.
At the close of the meeting, Affleck welcomed three new members
to the Board: emily Daeschler, Executive Director of the Chestnut
Hill Garden District Fund; Martha Kennedy, a member of the Greene
Countries Garden Club who serves as Vice-Chair for the Infonet Vendors
Booth of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society; and richard Kremnick,
a partner at Blank Rome LLP. Standing for re-election to the Board were:
Melen Boothby; Samuel Finney, Shirley Gracie; Heidi Grunwald; Bettina
Hoerlin; Jack Kelly; Jerome Maddox; John Meigs; and David Pope.
The guest speaker for the evening was Alan Greenberger, the Executive
Director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. He is also the
Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and Director of
Commerce, and has been with the City of Philadelphia since 2008. Prior
to that, he was in private practice as an architect and planner with MGA
Partners and its predecessor, Mitchell/Giurgola Architects. Greenberger
spoke about the pressures on the Planning Commission to think about a
sustainable future for Philadelphia in terms of its green space, its economic
development, and its use of public space. Although his presentation was
not directly centered on the Wissahickon, it gave FOW members some
insight into the City’s approach to thinking broadly about these issues that
affect the Wissahickon.

Gene Caffrey
During his 14 years on FOW’s board, Gene
Caffrey has served as Treasurer and as a
member of the Executive, Valley Green Inn
Oversight, and Advocacy Committees. In
addition, he has worked on ad hoc committees
for park user surveys and budget and finance.
Because of his hard work, FOW has been able to
undertake numerous major projects. On the Valley
Green Inn Oversight Committee (on which he will
continue to serve), he facilitated FOW’s relationships with
BigWay, Inc., the owner of the restaurant, the City of Philadelphia, and the Fairmount
Park Historic Preservation Trust. “Gene’s leadership has steered FOW through its
most profound period of growth,” says Executive Director Maura McCarthy. “He has
helped us think about FOW’s financial growth in a very practical way by looking at
where our long-range plans are steering us and determining the financial resources and
management strategies needed to achieve our goals.”
David Dannenberg
During the ten years he served on the Board of
Directors, David Dannenberg changed the way
FOW thinks about its stewardship obligations
in the park. “David is known as the godfather
of trails in the Wissahickon,” says Executive
Director Maura McCarthy, “and he will continue
to be an important and vital part of the Sustainable
Trails Initiative.” He served on the Sustainable Trails
Initiative Oversite and Advocacy Committees, as well
as the Conservation Committee and the general Advocacy
Committee. In addition, he encouraged the organization to grow in ways that has made
FOW a better partner to Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) with more meaningful
partnership services and served on several ad hoc committees on mountain biking,
hiring, and deer management. He has made an incredible contribution to FOW and
will continue to consult and volunteer in the park.
You make the world
a more beautiful place.
NBCUniversal is a proud sponsor
of Friends of the Wissahickon.
Bravo, Chiller, CLOO, CNBC, CNBC World, Comcast Sports Group, E!,
ExerciseTV, G4, Golf Channel, msnbc, mun2, Olympics, Oxygen, Sprout,
Style, Syfy, Telemundo, Universal HD, USA, VERSUS
to Our Outgoing Board Members
COMMUNITY FORUM
sustainability at springside
Chestnut hill Academy
Tuesday, October 23 6 pM
valley Green inn
Priscilla Sands has lived and
worked almost her entire life in the
Philadelphia area. She received her
doctorate in Educational Leadership
from the University of Pennsylvania.
For the past fifteen years, Sands has
been head of Springside School and
is currently president of Springside
Chestnut Hill Academy. She will discuss Springside
Chestnut Hill Academy’s sustainability efforts
within the Wissahickon watershed. A dedicated
philanthropist, Sands supports Boys Latin Charter
School, Southern Poverty Law Center, Susan B.
Komen for the Cure, and Pennsylvania Academy of
Fine Arts. Visit www.fow.org to register.
Susie Wilmerding
Susie Wilmerding served on FOW’s Board
for eight years. As chair of the Conservation
Committee and a member of the Executive
Committee for the last three years, she helped
the Friends learn how to reinvest in habitat in a
more meaningful way and led FOW in adopting
innovative solutions in habitat restoration. She
led the organization in confronting the problem
of invasive spread brought on by trail work and
developed viable solutions: specialists evaluate trail
corridors before and after trail work; FOW designs special invasive removal controls
before and after trail projects; and all trail work includes a planting regimen of native
plants. She also introduced FOW to the plant stewardship index, which is a metric of
habitat quality FOW now applies in and around all trail reconstruction sites. All of her
improvements to FOW’s habitat work have been incorporated into the Sustainable
Trails Initiative.
Robert Vance
Robert Vance has worked on many different
initiatives at FOW and been a vital part of
the debate on the deer management issue.
“Robert is an effective, energetic, and thoughtful
champion for FOW,” says FOW President John
Rollins. “His Board leadership, and perhaps
even more valuable, his community leadership,
have advanced our causes and provided wise
counsel for many years. We truly are in his debt.”
He has also been a strong leader in FOW’s advocacy
efforts, particularly as the organization relates to city government and
city agencies. His history as head of Philadelphia’s planning commission has been
extraordinarily valuable as the Friends have negotiated with local land owners on land
preservation issues. He was president at a pivotal time in FOW’s work on conservation
easements and land preservation. His leadership steered the organization through some
challenging circumstances in the local community. He has generously agreed to stay on
and lead our negotiating efforts with Chestnut Hill College on the Sugarloaf property.
botanical Tour of Central park
Thursday, september 27
8 am Departure Time
pre-registration required
FOW will be
embarking on our first trip
to New York’s Central Park
this September. There are
still a few seats left for a
Botanical Tour of Central
Park with Ned Barnard,
FOW Trail Ambassador and author of New York City
Trees, and Ken Chaya, creator of Central Park Entire:
the Definitive Illustrated Folding Map.
Barnard’s New York City Trees is the most extensive
field guide on New York and Central Park trees to
date. Chaya’s map of Central Park is considered the
most detailed map of any urban park in the world.
Visit www.fow.org for more inforamtion and to
register.
Fall 2012 • Friends of the Wissahickon 13

Is it a Honeybee or
a Yellow Jacket?
Chances are you have been stung by a bee sometime in your life. Or
was it a yellow jacket? We often confuse the two, but most likely the
sting was from the more aggressive yellow jacket.
Yellow jackets are wasps,
and by late summer they
seem to be everywhere! They
interrupt our outdoor meals and drink from our soda cans. These wasps are
carnivorous; their mouth parts are designed to chew food. They make their
papery nests underground or in a hollow log, and once you have disturbed that
nest, watch out! Nothing can send a group of kids screaming like uncovering a
nest in a log. There can be 5,000 wasps in that nest, and if disturbed, rapid wing
beats signal the other wasps to attack. Each female wasp can sting multiple times.
When you are exploring in the woods, keep a look out for wasps flying in a line
or diving into a hole in the ground, often hidden near a log.
Honeybees, on the other hand, are almost cute—they are chubbier, fuzzier,
relaxed, and fly from flower to flower collecting pollen and pollinating flowers.
Honeybees are not attracted to our food; their mouths are designed to lap
liquid. They construct their homes in man-made hive boxes and, occasionally, in
houses and high in trees. Honeybees do not bother us unless they are defending
their hive. They sting one time, dying as the stinger is ripped out of their body.
Nonetheless, a honeybee’s sting can still
hurt and is serious for someone allergic
to bees.
Bee hives have been kept at the
Wissahickon Environmental Center
(WEC) for over ten years, many of those
years by beekeeping legend Joe Duffy.
Under his mentorship, Environmental
Educator Chelsea Heck has been
learning the hobby and using the hives
for education programs. The next
program on honeybees will take place
on September 20. (See p.16 for more
information.)
Trish Fries is an Environmental
Education Program Specialist and Chelsea
Heck is an Environmental Educator at the
Wissahickon Environmental Center located
near the intersection of Forbidden Drive
and Northwestern Avenue.
14
Friends of the Wissahickon • Fall 2012
Environmental Educator Chelsea Heck
points to the honeybees.
Photo courtesy of Wissahickon
Environmental Center
By Trish Fries and Chelsea Heck,
Wissahickon Environmental Center
support the new
pollinator Garden
To support the health of local
honeybees, the WEC is creating
a native plant pollinator garden
near the beehives. With the help
of FOW and Dayna Canning, a
summer staff member and Temple
Landscape Architect major who is
designing the garden, planting will
begin in October.
Donations of plants from your
garden or purchased from a local
nursery are needed. You can also
support the effort by attending a fall
planting day on Sunday, October 21,
2012. For more information, contact
WEC staff at WEC@phila.gov.
Dogs on Leash Important
for Wildlife Safety
One evening in July, as I was relaxing in my garden, I heard the
unmistakable dull smack of a car hitting something on Wissahickon
Avenue. Moments later, an eight-point buck charged through my
yard, head down, running on three legs. Close in pursuit was a little brown
dog. The dog had chased the deer out of Carpenter’s Woods onto Wissahickon
Avenue, where it was hit by a car.
The dog
continued
the chase
after
the deer
By David Dannenberg, Board Member,
Friends of Carpenter’s Woods with
Linda Goschke, President, Friends of Carpenter’s Woods
regained its footing (3/4 of it anyway) and ran in a limping panic through our
yard, towards Wissahickon Valley Park. It was at least 15 minutes before the
dog reappeared, panting, tags merrily jingling on its collar. Unfortunately, the
dog avoided me, so I could not read its tags and call its owner—and maybe the
Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Deer are hit by cars on Wissahickon Avenue with gruesome regularity,
especially during the rut. Often they are injured in the collision and seek shelter
in the Wissahickon or a corner of Carpenter’s Woods, where they collapse and
die—eventually. Sometimes the local Game Officer is called to put the animals
out of their misery, but
more often they linger for
hours or days or weeks
before succumbing to
death. Their picked-over
and rotting carcasses are
discovered later.
It is not known how
many of these deer are
chased across Wissahickon
Avenue by dogs that are
Photo by Kevin O’Donovan
off-leash in Carpenter’s
Woods. But the incident
described above is not the first time I have witnessed a dog chasing a deer out of
Carpenter’s Woods. The dogs cannot be blamed; they are carnivores and pursuit
of game is in their nature. But dog owners who do not leash their dogs are
responsible for their actions, which are sometimes anti-social or environmentally
damaging. When dogs run unchecked and unleashed through the park they can
disturb habitat, exacerbate erosion, annoy other park users, and directly harass
wildlife, sometimes to death.
Deer are not the only casualty. Dogs that chase deer across a busy road may
also be hit by a car. In addition, a deer struck by a car could cause injury or death
to the driver, a passerby on foot or bicycle, or occupants of an oncoming car,
should the driver swerve to avoid the deer. Accidents like this happen throughout
the country, and Pennsylvania is among the top states for deer-auto collisions.
According to PennDOT records, there were 3,000 car vs. deer collisions last year
(2011), resulting in over 600 injuries and five deaths (http://www.avvo.com/legalguides/ugc/avoiding-pennsylvania-car-v-deer-accidents).
It is the mission of the Game Commission to manage and protect the health
and safety of all our wildlife. Pennsylvania law clearly states that dog owners are
responsible for their dogs’ behavior. Dogs are not permitted to pursue, attack, or
kill any wildlife, which includes birds, chipmunks, foxes, raccoons, and squirrels,
as well as big game like deer.
If the actions of a dog cause injury or death to humans or the wildlife, the
owner can be held accountable, with the imposition of fines and other possible
legal consequences—all for the sake of not using a leash.
For more information and a list of regulations, visit the Pennsylvania Game
Commission website at http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pgc/9106.

NEWMembers
FOW is pleased to welcome the following new members, who joined the
Friends of the Wissahickon from May through August 2012.
Mr. Christopher Anastasiou
Ms. Libby Anderson
Mr. Alexander Andron
Mr. Yair Argon
Mr. Paul Assal
Mr. Bill Barlett
Mr. Damien Bash
Mr. Richard Bayan
Mr. Howard Blum
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Bright
Ms. Paula Burns
Mrs. Lucy Carroll
Mr. William Christensen
Ms. Maryanne Conheim
Mr. Bill Cook
Mr. Paul Coplan
Ms. Julia Corelli
Ms. Ruth Damsker
Ms. Joanne S. Darken
Ms. Kelly Davis
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Davis
Mr. J. Barry Davis
Mr. John Davis
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Delaplane
Ms. Evelyn DelMaestro
Ms. Jennifer Devlin
Mr. Michael Dillard
Mr. David Douds Jr.
Kim Eberle-Wang
Mrs. Victoria Ferguson
Ms. Elizabeth Finucane
Mr. Greg Gethard
Mr. James Gill
Mrs. Beth Gillard
Ms. Peggy Gillin
Mr. James Gledhill
Mr. Edward Glowacki, Jr.
Mr. Maxwell Gorson
Mr. Leeland Green
Mr. Robert Greer
Dr. Kent Griswold
Ms. Dorothy Hamell
Ms. Ruth Harrington
Ms. Miriam Harris
Mr. Gary Hatfield
Ms. Nicole Hehn
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Henkel
Ms. Deborah Hilton
Mr. Barry Hoefermann
Mrs. Mary Jane Howe Flaith
Mr. John Jungers
Mr. Edward Kamarauskas
Mr. Elliot Kaplan and
Ms. Jill Kaplan
Ms. Camille Keating
Julie and Stew Keener
Mr. Scott Koehler
Mr. Andrew Kohut
Mr. Garry Kramer
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lambert
Mr. Frederic Lehman
Ms. Gretta Leopold
Dion Lerman
Mr. Martin Levitas
Ms. Lois Levy
Ms. Sharon Levy
Mr. Bob Ligget
Ms. Sandra Lory
Dr. Edward Lundy
Ms. Alicia MacArthur
Mrs. Kathleen Mann
Ms. Lana Marcinek and
Ms. Linda Marcinek
Ms. Veronica Mayson
Mr. Chris Mesure
Mr. Joseph Miller
Mr. Douglas Miller
Ms. Andrea Missias
Ms. Heather Modres
Ms. Rachel Monyak
Ice Cream Social
Catherine and Lucy Brown of Chestnut
Hill enjoy a treat at FOW’s Annual Ice
Cream Social.
Dr. Susan Moslow
Ms. Darilyn Moyer
Ms. Patricia Murphy
Ms. Esther Nash
Mr. Neal Nathanson
Mrs. Mary-Ann Navarro
Ms. Lois Naylor
Mr. Stanley Newman
Ms. Kimberly Oxholm
Mr. Briton Parker
Mr. Max Pavlovich
Mr. Carl Peridier
Dr. Peter Phillips
Mr. Scott Proctor
Mr. William Raupp
Mr. David Reppert
Ms. Harriet Richards
Ms. Karen Rothschild
Dr. Mark Russo
Mr. Craig Sears
Mr. Stephen Shoff
Mr. Larry Silver
Mrs. Mildred Smith
Mr. Douglas Sponsler
Mr. James Taterka
Mr. Patrick Taylor
Mr. Alfred Toizer
Mr. David Tucker
Mr. Henry Upright
Mr. and Mrs. Jason Varney
Mrs. Jennifer Virtu
Mrs. Barbara Wallace
Ms. Fay Wastler
Ms. Mindy Weinberg
Mr. Jerome Williamson
Ted and Stevie Wolf
Ms. Jennifer Woodfin
Mr. Minturn T. Wright III
Ms. Kristi Yingling
Mr. Charles Ziccardi
We appreciate Valley
Green Bank reinvesting in
our community and in the
Wissahickon Valley!
HIKES
IN THE WISSAHICKON
Trail Ambassador hikes
Unless otherwise specified, Trail Ambassador hikes
may use rocky, rugged trails that may be wet and
slippery. Please wear sturdy shoes or boots with socks.
Long pants are recommended for protection against
occasional poison ivy and possible ticks. Bring water and
a snack if desired. Children over age seven are welcome
if accompanied by a responsible adult. Walks are
cancelled in heavy rain. Registration is not required, but
is recommended so that you can be informed of weather
or other emergency cancellations. To register, please
contact Outreach Coordinator Sarah Marley at marley@
fow.org. For more information, see p. 5.
Geology hike with sarah West
saturday, september 22 at 3 pm Meet at
Valley Green Inn. Difficulty: rough, steep trail on the
east side of the creek, upstream from Valley Green.
Distance: 1.5 miles. Duration: 1.75 hours. This hike is
suitable for children ten years and older accompanied
by a responsible adult. Please bring water and sturdy
footwear. More info: westsarah@aol.com.
Three Mile hikes with Kimberly Quinn
Wednesday, september 26 at 5:30 pm
Wednesday, October 17 at 5:30 pm
Wednesday, november 14 at 5:30 pm
Meet at Valley Green Inn. Difficulty: moderate; group
sets pace. Distance: 3+ miles. Duration: 2 hours. Wear
supportive hiking shoes & bring water. Cameras &
binoculars encouraged. Suitable for children eight years
and older accompanied by a responsible adult. More
info: kimberlyaquinn@gmail.com.
seeking the photographers experiences in
the Wissahickon with bruce Wagner
saturday, October 6 at 10 am Meet at Cedars
house, on Forbidden Drive near Northwestern Ave.
Duration: 1.5 to 2 hours. Cameras are encouraged, but
not necessary. More info: bwagner@temple.edu.
Orange Trail hike with Merritt rhoad
sunday, October 7 at 1 pm Meet at
Northwestern Ave and Forbidden Drive. Difficulty:
moderate. Distance: 4 miles. Duration: 2-2.5 hours. Hike
along Forbidden Drive to Bell’s Mill Rd. and then along
the Orange & White Trails to the Indian Statue with return
to Northwestern Ave. along Forbidden Drive.
Mouth of the Wissahickon
with scott Quitel.
saturday, October 20 at 9 am Meet near the
Battle of Germantown Tablet in the parking area where
Forbidden Drive meets Lincoln Drive. Difficulty: mildly
strenuous. Duration: 2.5 hours. More info: squitel@
comcast.net.”
A Woodsy Trek to visit Our Legendary
indian with bruce Wagner
sunday, October 21 at 2 pm Meet at the
Valley Green Inn Warming Shed. Duration: 2 hours. We
will walk to the Indian Statue and through the woods on
rocky trails. More info: bwagner@temple.edu.
Walking in honor of the Anniversary of
the Fingerspan bridge with bruce Wagner
saturday, October 27 at 10 am Meet at Valley
Green Inn. A dedicated walk to the Fingerspan, which is
celebrating its 25th anniversary. Difficulty: some rocky
trails. Distance: 3 miles. Duration: 2 hours. We will
recognize the Fingerspan in pictures and history. More
info: bwagner@temple.edu.
Trail Ambassador Merritt Rhoad
leads a hike down Forbidden Drive.
CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR UPDATES
WWW.FOW.ORG
Lower Forbidden Drive with sarah West
sunday, October 28 at 3 pm Meet at
the small parking lot where Forbidden Drive meets
Lincoln Drive, a short distance down- stream from
RittenhouseTown. Duration: 1.75 hours. Distance: 1 mile
along lower Forbidden Drive on level ground as far as the
Walnut Lane Bridge. Children with a responsible adult
are welcome. More info: westsarah@aol.com
The heart of the park with scott Quitel
saturday, november 10 at 9 am Park and
meet at the foot of Rex Ave., where it enters the park.
Difficulty: rigorous with one stream crossing, where
Cresheim Creek enters the Wissahickon. Duration: 3
hours. More info: squitel@comcast.net.
Wissahickon stormwater project Walk
with peg shaw
saturday, november 17 at 10 am
Meet at lower parking lot (Chestnut Hill Side) of Bell’s
Mill Road. Duration: 3 hours. Join us for this hike and
discussion of land use and storm water impacts on the
Wissahickon Valley as we take a look at the Philadelphia
Water Department’s stream channel mitigation project
along Bell’s Mill Road. Wear appropriate hiking shoes
and weather-appropriate clothing. Rain or shine.
Appalachian Mountain Club
Delaware valley Chapter
www.amcdv.org
Mondays
Wissahickon Gorge Wandering. Brisk-paced
hike; distance is dependent on the conditions and speed
of the group. Meet by Valley Green Inn at 6:30 pm. Bring
water and a flashlight or a head lamp. Bad weather
cancels. Leaders: Christina Lawless (215-530-3883) or
tinalawless@hotmail.com; Michael Lawless (215-836-
2275); David Stein (215-508-5915) or dstein0857@
yahoo.com. Thru October 29.
Tuesdays
Tuesday nights in the Wissahickon. Casual
social hike through hills of Wissahickon Gorge. Bring
water and a flashlight or headlamp. Always an option for
dinner following the hike. Meet at Bruno’s, at the corner
of Germantown and Northwestern Avenues, at 6:30pm.
Nasty weather will cancel the hike. Leaders: David Stein
(215-499-9803 before 9 pm or dstein0857@yahoo.
com); Pat Naismith (610-639-3670 before 9 pm or
hikerbabepat@gmail.com). Thru October 30.
Friday, september 7
Wissahickon Friday nite hike. Meet at 6 pm
at the intersections of Germantown and Northwestern
Aves. for a moderate paced 4 mile hike along scenic
Wissahickon Creek in NW Philadelphia. Optional dinner
at local eatery after hike. Rain at hike time cancels.
Leader: Cliff Hence (215-247-3559 before 10 pm or
CWHenceIII@aol.com).
Friday, October 19
Wissahickon Friday nite hike. Meet at 6 pm
at the intersections of Germantown and Northwestern
Aves. for a moderate paced 4 mile hike along scenic
Wissahickon Creek in NW Philadelphia. Optional dinner
at local eatery after hike. Rain at hike time cancels.
Leader: Cliff Hence (215-247-3559 before 10 pm or
CWHenceIII@aol.com).
Wednesday, november 7
Wissahickon park. Meet at 10 am on
Northwestern Ave. between Germantown Ave. and
Forbidden Drive. Roam Wissahickon trails. Rain cancels.
Bring water. Lunch at Bruno’s afterward. Leader: Paul
Schott (215-635-3172) or pgsmtj@verizon.net.
Friday, november 9
Wissahickon Friday nite hike. Meet at 6 pm
at the intersections of Germantown and Northwestern
Aves. for a moderate paced 4 mile hike along scenic
Wissahickon Creek in NW Philadelphia. Optional dinner
at local eatery after hike. Rain at hike time cancels.
Leader: Cliff Hence (215-247-3559 before 10 pm or
CWHenceIII@aol.com).
batona hiking Club
www.batonahikingclub.org
sunday, september 23
hills of the Wissahickon. Meet at Valley Green
Inn at 9:30 AM. Come out for a great long (2 loops) or
short (1 loop) hike in the world’s best city park. Each loop
will be 6 - 7 miles. The hike will be on both sides of the
gorge. If you need transportation from G & R call leader
by 6:00 PM Saturday evening for pickup at 9:00 AM.
Cost: $0.75. Leader: Barry Shapiro (215-673-4717).
Fall 2012 • Friends of the Wissahickon 15

�
CALENDAR
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
THIRD SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH
Wissahickon restoration volunteers
(Wrv) will lead a service project from 10 am to noon
as part of their on-going reforestation activities. Details and
directions to the worksite posted on the WRV website (http://
wissahickonrestorationvolunteers.org) at least one week prior
to the event. For information and to RSVP, contact WRV at 215-
951-0330 x201 or wrv.info@rhd.org. Day of event, call Ron at
215-483-4348.
EVERY TUESDAY
Friends of the Wissahickon volunteers repair and
build structures in the Wissahickon from 9 am to 1 pm. If you
are handy with tools and like to build, contact FOW Volunteer
Coordinator Dan Mercer at mercer@fow.org or 215-247-0417
ext. 105.
EVERY WEDNESDAY
Wissahickon service projects (September
through May) 1 pm to 3 pm. Join Crefeld School, Friends of the
Wissahickon, and Fairmount Park. Something new every week.
Call David Bower at 215-685-0120 for information.
EVERY THURSDAY
Friends of the Wissahickon volunteers do repairs
within the Wissahickon from 9 am to 1 pm. If you would like
to help, contact FOW’s Volunteer Coordinator Dan Mercer at
mercer@fow.org or 215-247-0417 ext. 105.
SATURDAYS
Friends of the Wissahickon leads a service project
at various locations in the Park from 10 am to 2 pm, unless
it is a holiday or there is inclement weather. Projects include
trail maintenance, invasive weed removal, planting and cleanups.
For information, check the volunteer calendar at www.
fow.org/volunteering/upcoming-workdays or contact Volunteer
Coordinator Dan Mercer at mercer@fow.org or 215-247-0417
ext. 105.
FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH
Wissahickon restoration volunteers
(Wrv) will lead a service project from 10 am to noon
as part of their on-going reforestation activities. Project
details and directions to the worksite will be posted at www.
wissahickonrestorationvolunteers.org at least one week prior to
the event. For information and to RSVP, contact WRV at 215-
951-0330 x201 or wrv.info@rhd.org.
Future calendar listings for the newsletter may be placed
by contacting the Friends of the Wissahickon at
215-247-0417 or office@fow.org.
The Calendar of Events in the Wissahickon may
also be viewed on FOW’s website www.fow.org,
which contains updates on our events,
including cancellations.
CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR UPDATES WWW.FOW.ORG
OF EVENTS IN THE WISSAHICKON
— Friends of the Wissahickon Membership Form —
� YES, I/We want to help preserve and protect the Wissahickon.
� $20 Limited Income/Students � $45 Basic
MeMbership LeveL
� $75 Family
� $100 Contributing* � $250 Sponsor* � $500 Patron*
*Choice of:
� Hat
� Please keep the premium and
use the entire membership fee for the Park.
RUNNING CLUBS
EVERY THURSDAY
Wissahickon Wanderers Trail run. 4-5 miles.
Starts 6:30 pm. at Valley Green Inn. For details call 215-849-
9080 or visit www.wanderersrunningclub.org.
EVERY SATURDAY
shawmont running Club. Starts at the end of
Forbidden Drive/Northwestern Ave. From the 2nd Saturday in
May through the 2nd Saturday in October we start at 7:30AM.
From the 3rd Saturday in October through the 1st Saturday
in May we start at 8:00AM. Distances are at the discretion
of runners. All levels welcome. Emphasis is on fun! www.
shawmontrunningclub.com.
FRIENDS OF
THE WISSAHICKON
VALLEY TALKS (see p. 3)
valley Green inn
Urban Agriculture in philadelphia
Wednesday, October 3 at 6 pm
Creating the east Coast Greenway
Wednesday, November 7 at 6 pm
BOTANIcAL TOUR OF cENTRAL PARK (see p. 13)
Thursday, September 27
8 am Departure Time
Pre-registration required
WHISPERS ALONg THE WISSAHIcKON (see p. 10)
Wissahickon Environmental Center
Friday, October 19
5:30 to 9 pm
cOMMUNITY FORUM (see p. 13)
Valley Green Inn
Sustainability at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
Tuesday, October 23 6 pm
WINTER IN THE WISSAHIcKON (see p. 11)
Valley Green Inn
Saturday, December 1
noon to 4pm
PUBLIc MEETINg (see p. 3)
New Covenant Campus
Thursday, December 5
6pm
HISTORIC RITTENHOUSETOWN
Historic RittenhouseTown offers classes, workshops, and
events for individuals and families to learn about the craft of
hand papermaking and other aspects of Colonial life at the
original Rittenhouse Family Homestead. RittenhouseTown is
located on Lincoln Drive at Rittenhouse Street. For information
on their programs call 215-438-5711, e-mail programs@
rittenhousetown.org, or visit www.rittenhousetown.org.
� Society of Generous Friends* � $1000 � $2500 � $5000 � $10,000 or above
� T-Shirt (circle size)
Children: S M L
Red Bird: Women S M • Adult L XL
Warbler & Map: Adult M L XL XXL
JAPANESE BOOKBINDINg
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 11 AM-3 PM
Instructor: Nicole Eiland (www.ei-ni.com). Fee: HRT Members
$55 Nonmembers: $70
This one day workshop teaches Japanese binding also called
stab binding. Register at www.rittenhousetown.org.
VALLEY GREEN INN
Located on Forbidden Drive in Wissahickon Valley Park. For
more information: www.valleygreeninn.com.
YAPPY HOUR
Last Tuesday of the Month. Benefits Philadelphia Animal
Welfare Society (PAWS). 5-8 pm. 20% of Inn sales for the
evening will be donated to PAWS.
WISSAHICKON VALLEY
WATERSHED ASSOCIATION
WVWA offers many public programs as part of its mission to
protect the quality and beauty of the Wissahickon Creek and
to enhance life in the Wissahickon Watershed. Located at 12
Morris Road, Ambler, Pennsylvania. For information on their
programs, visit www.wvwa.org.
WISSAHIcKON WALK AND TRAIL RUN
SUNDAY, OcTOBER 7 8 AM
gREEN RIBBON gATHERINg 2012
SUNDAY, OcTOBER 13 5-7 PM
Contact Anne Standish at anne@wvwa.org for tickets and
details
gHOST OF HENRY MUMBOWER
SATURDAY, OcTOBER 20 6-9 PM
Swedesford and Township Line Roads, Upper Gwynedd.
FALL SERVE THE PRESERVE
SATURDAY, OcTOBER 27 9 AM
Contact Bob Adams at bob@wvwa.org
WISSAHICKON
ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
Pre-Registration is required for all programs (except Apple
Pressing Day). Space is limited, so register early! Unless
otherwise noted, all programs are FREE, last approximately 90
minutes, & begin at the Tree House. For information and
registration, please call us at: 215.685.9285, or email
WEc@phila.gov
THURSDAY TOTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 1-2 PM
The Buzz About Bees. Learn about the sweet life of a Honey
bee and the tools to being a beekeeper. Get an up close look at
the different types of bees that make up the busy hives. We’ll
make a bee craft and taste some Tree House Honey!
THURSDAY, OcTOBER 18 1-2 PM
Apples, Apples, Apples! Learn about apple seeds, help press
apples into apple cider and make apple sauce, and make an
apple print.
Name _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Street _____________________________________________________________________________________________
City ___________________________________________ State __________________Zip Code ____________________
All new members receive a map of the Wissahickon Valley. Limited Income/
Student members receive invitations to all events and our quarterly
newsletter. Basic members receive invitations to all events; our quarterly
newsletter, and membership card with discounts for meals at Valley Green Inn
(in the park) and FOW merchandise. Family members receive all benefits of
Basic membership plus choice of two kids tees (S [6-8], M [10-12], L [14-16]).
Contributing members and above ($100 or more) receive all benefits of Basic
membership plus choice of hat or T-shirt (M, L, XL).
Method of payment
� Check Enclosed
(payable to the Friends of the Wissahickon)
� Charge my
� VISA � Mastercard
Phone (Home) ___________________ (Work) ______________________ E-mail _____________________________
Card Number__________________________
I also want to help the Friends of the Wissahickon with:
Expiration Date________________________
� Membership
� Fundraising
� Community Outreach
� Reforestation
� Trail Repair
� Structures Repair
� Clean-Up
� Education
� Wildlife
� Vine Removal
Signature________________________________
Please return to: 8708 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118 • tel 215-247-0417 • office@fow.org • www.fow.org
Contributions to the Friends are tax deductible as permitted by current laws.
The official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling, toll free, within Pennsylvania (800) 732-0999.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15 1-2 PM
Turkey Hunt! We won’t be hunting real turkeys but we will learn
how to track and look for signs of animals. We’ll make tracks
of our own and then go out in search of the elusive Tree House
Turkey!
For Children Ages 3-5. Parents stay with their child.
Please register at least one week prior to the program.
Suggested donation: $5.00 per session.
gRANDPARENTS STROLL
TUESDAY, OcTOBER 2 10-11:30 AM
Join us on a stroller friendly walk through the Wissahickon!
Bundle up the baby and learn a little bit about the history
and nature of the park along the way. Meet at the corner
of Northwestern Avenue and Forbidden Drive. (Rain-date
Wednesday, October 3) Grandparents and children of
stroller age.
APPLE PRESSINg ON FORBIDDEN DRIVE
SATURDAY, OcTOBER 13 11 AM - 3 PM
Join us on Forbidden Drive (near Northwestern Ave.) for this
annual celebration of autumn. Help make fresh apple cider
using an old-fashioned cider press. Enjoy fresh & delicious
apple cider! No registration necessary. All ages welcome.
Rain or Shine
DIRT WORSHIPPINg; FALL PLANTINg OF NATIVE
POLLINATOR gARDEN
SUNDAY, OcTOBER 2 10 AM - 2 PM
Help us plant our new pollinator garden. With the support of
FOW, we are creating and planting a native pollinator garden.
Please donate plants either from your garden or a local
nursery. For a list of the plants needed, email WEC@phila.gov.
Plants will be accepted the week of October 15th. Adults and
older children.
cAcHE AND DASH!
gEOcAcHINg INSTRUcTIONS AND RAcE
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10
BETWEEN 10 AM- 2:30 PM
3 sessions for instruction: 10 am, 12pm, or 2 pm
This Geocaching race will test your seeking skills and get you
outside and moving! Pick up the coordinates of the caches at
WEC anytime between 10 am and 2:30 pm. A staff member
will mark what time you leave for your hunt and when you
return with all of the caches found. Team times will be recorded
and winners announced on Monday morning. If needed, come
to one of the three instructional sessions on Nov. 10 and learn
the basics, then join the race! All Ages. Teams of up to 4
people suggested.
cANDLE DIPPINg
SATURDAY, DEcEMBER 8 10-11:30 AM
Make your own candles to use during this darker season or
give them away as a gift in the spirit of the season. We’ll also
collect some winter greens for fun and easy center pieces to
bring the nature indoors! *Weather depending, this program
will be held outside. Ages 6 and up. Registration required
by Wednesday December 5th.