Newsletter-FALL '10 FINAL FINAL - Tinicum Conservancy

FALL 2010
GREEN ACRES
Northern Tip of Tinicum Comes Under Easement
Andrew Rouse has been immersed in the art world for much of
his later life – and the beauty and inspiration found in paintings,
sculpture and other forms of creative expression fit well with the
beauty of the countryside that he calls home. Rouse’s 36 scenic
acres along Rapp Creek and adjacent to Nockamixon Township
came under conservation easement this fall, joining the 4,000
acres already protected in Tinicum.
Photo by Kathleen Connally
His move to place Rapp Hollow Farm under easement was a practical one. At 82, he’s looking to future generations.
He has bequeathed the property to his alma mater, Franklin and Marshall College, and he knows
the college will sell the land. “I want to preserve the environment,” he says. “I don’t think [the land] is developable,
but developers can do anything.” Also, like other residents in that section of the township, Rouse
had been approached multiple times to sign a gas lease on his property. With the easement in (cont. on pg. 4)
Thanks to the generous financial support of Stu and Sally Horn, the Helen Bader
Foundation, and the Beneficia Foundation, the new
www.tinicumconservancy.org website has been launched! It has a fresh look,
richer content and enhanced functionality. Please take a few minutes to log on
and explore it.
The new home page
Right from the landing page you will
see a sharper focus on our mission and
easier, clearer navigation. And, of
course, throughout the site, every page
features beautiful photographs of the
land and natural resources we work so
hard to protect, as well as the members,
donors, staff and volunteers who keep
the organization thriving. (cont. on pg. 4)
Rapp Creek, a scenic, exceptional –value
waterway, borders the Rouse easement
TINICUM CONSERVANCY ON THE WEB: A New Look
DON’T MISS:
• Membership Listing (pgs. 6/7)
Inside this issue:
President’s Corner 2
Conservancy Information 2
Shout Out 3
Membership Celebration 5
Regional Open Space Meeting 8
Earth, Wind, Fire, Water 9
Invasive Plants
Conservation Spotlight
The People Page
Gas Drilling
Fall TI�ICUM CO�SERVA�CY 2010
10
11
11
11

OUR MISSION
To protect our rural character and natural resources through community-based land conservation.
ADMINISTRATION
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Richard Rosamilia, President/Acting
Treasurer
Diane Allison, Vice President
Peggy Enoch, Secretary
Karen Budd
Betsi Campbell
Tom Casola
Stuart Louden
Jonathan Reiss
STAFF
Jim Engel, Executive Director
Kelly Germann, Resource Protection Mgr.
Jim Klein, Administrative Assistant
NEWSLETTER STAFF
Dianna Sinovic, Editor/Writer
Kris Becker, Creative Director
Tom Casola, Marketing Director
CO�TRIBUTORS:
Tracy Carluccio, Kathleen Connally,
Kelly Kendall-Kelly, Martie Kyde,
Stana Lennox, Gail Whittenberger
Common Ground is published bi-annually
by Tinicum Conservancy.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Tinicum Conservancy
P.O. Box 206
Erwinna, PA 18920
(Street address: 965 River Road,
Upper Black Eddy, PA 18972)
P: 610-294-1077
F: 610-294-2906
E: tinicumconserv@epix.net
W: www.TinicumConservancy.org
Tinicum Conservancy is a recognized 501(c)(3)
charitable organization and exists for charitable,
educational and scientific purposes.
We welcome your comments,
questions and suggestions.
Dear Members and Friends,
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
It was gratifying to see so many Tinicum Conservancy members
and volunteers turn out for our Membership Celebration in
September at the Quinby family farm. If you were not able to
attend, take a look at the pictures in this issue of Common
Ground. It was a beautiful autumn afternoon filled with families,
friends, sunshine and good food. Heartfelt thanks go to John, Joan,
Todd and Trina Quinby for sharing their farm with us for the
day.
The Quinby family has deep roots in Tinicum, going back six
generations. Their preserved land is a wonderful example of why
the Conservancy’s work is so critical to protecting this place we
all love. The Membership Celebration was also a wonderful
opportunity to recognize the members, volunteers and donors who
have made our efforts in Tinicum so successful.
On a related note, our new website is up and running! Please take
a few minutes to visit www.tinicumconservancy.org. The website
too is a celebration of the land and people who love living in
Tinicum and are willing to commit their time, talents and money
to protecting it.
We now have about 4,000 acres under conservancy agreements.
This represents a huge accomplishment of which we should all feel
proud. But it also represents the challenge before us as the
Conservancy looks to the future. Stewardship is a word you will
be hearing from us a lot in coming months. Stewardship programs
and a stewardship fund sufficient to ensure that conserved lands
are maintained in a healthy, natural state for future generations
is our next big goal. We will be coming to you early next year
with more on this goal and the resources
required to achieve it. I am sure the community
will respond as it always has to protect our
land and lifestyle.
For right now, enjoy the beauty of autumn in
Bucks County and join me in celebrating the
land and the people that make Tinicum such a
unique treasure.
Page 2 TI�ICUM CO�SERVA�CY Fall 2010

Your Conservancy could not function without its
volunteers. The Executive Director and Trustees
would like to thank these generous people for their
recent gifts of time. To become a volunteer,
please contact Karen Budd:
KBudd3030 @ aol.com
John "Cap" Roberts, Ellen Chapman, Vernon
Wehrung, Bob Kolar, Sue Ann Rainey, Ann Herbsleb
and Diane Allison - for their generous support of and
donations to our "Wish List."
Tom Casola, Martie Kyde, Peggy Enoch, Karen Budd,
�ancy Bousum, �ancy Shaffran, Diane and Dave
Allison, Jonathan and Melissa Reiss, Peter Batts, Kris
Becker, �orm MacArthur, Dianna Sinovic, Stana
Lennox, John Moore and Rob Morrison - for setting up
and staffing our booth at the Tinicum Arts Festival.
John Moore and Rob Morrison - for coordinating the
Conservancy’s River Road Cleanups. Those who
participated in the June and August cleanups: Diane and
Dave Allison, Claire and Joe Billingham, Ken Buell,
Roz and Bill Cahill, Sharon and �ick Forte, Genevieve
and Mike Frank, Stana Lennox, Pat Lesko, �orm
MacArthur, Bill �ovak, Phil Rushton, Carol Sadley,
Doug Sardo, Paul Shaw, Tom Casola, Dianna Sinovic
and Wendy of Frenchtown.
Kris Becker - for creation of the Membership
Celebration and the Resource Conservation Education
Center postcards.
Pat Maurath - for many hours of filing work and
database input.
Ellen Chapman, John Baron, Doug Sardo, Gil
Wechsler, and Stana Lennox - for research, suggestions
and artists’ contacts in preparation for art in the
conference and reception rooms of the Conservancy.
John Baron - for the research into and follow-up on the
purchase of track lighting and lighting accessories for
displaying art on the ground floor of our office.
John Baron, Peggy Enoch, Maureen Book and John
Moore - for assembly and mailing of the Spring Appeal
Letter.
Stana Lennox - for serving as our Volunteer
Coordinator.
SHOUT OUT
Betsi Campbell, Peggy Enoch, June Rothkopf, John
Baron and Stana Lennox - for arranging the Friends of
the Delaware Boat Trip in June.
Jerry Fritz of Linden Hill Gardens - for the centerpiece
flowers for the Friends of the Delaware Boat Trip.
John, Joan, Todd and Trina Quinby for hosting this
year’s Membership Celebration on their beautiful
conserved property.
Kris Becker, Dianna Sinovic and all contributors - for
the Common Ground publication.
Betsi Campbell - for Membership Celebration mailings.
Thanks to everyone who has helped to move the Tinicum
Conservancy forward and made a positive impact on our
community.
Jim Engel (center) presenting awards
to John Quinby and John Moore
COULD YOU SPARE...
• 12 metal folding chairs
• Throw rugs for upstairs offices
• 10-foot x 2-foot floor runner for upstairs
hallway
• “Dust buster”
• Five hardy window plants
• Bookcase for conference room
• Lidded bowls for sugar and tea
• One free-standing toilet paper holder
Please call the Conservancy office if you can help
us cross any of these items off our wish list.
2011 ROAD CLEA�UP SCHEDULE
Call John Moore at 610-847-2935 for further information.
Fall 2010 TI�ICUM CO�SERVA�CY Page 3

GREEN ACRES (cont. from pg. 1)
place, the threat of gas and other mineral development has been eliminated. Instead,
he knows that the next owner will be a good match for the steeply sloped farmland.
“The people who buy it will be looking for something remote and private,” he says.
Rouse, originally from Kennett Square in Chester County, has lived in Tinicum for
32 years. And although his own college graduation was years ago—just after World
War II—he’s still passionate about Franklin and Marshall. He was a trustee at the college
for many years and is now a trustee emeritus. He has funded several scholarships
at F&M—each pays full tuition to the recipient. He is also a trustee and on the executive
committee at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He just stepped down this year as
chair of the museum’s finance committee, which he headed for 18 years.
He’s also passionate about rowing, on the river by 5:30 three mornings a week. When
he can’t get out in on the water, he works out with a rowing machine in the basement
gym in the farmhouse. The oldest part of the farmhouse was built in 1804, and an
addition was put on after the Civil War. He added on again in 1981. The house, full
of sunlight and history, is nestled into a hill, which keeps it cool in warm weather.
Rouse’s border collie romps
on the lawn
When Rouse isn’t rowing or attending committee meetings, he’s gardening or busy
with a crossword puzzle. “It’s a very relaxed life,” he says. - Article by Dianna Sinovic/Photos by Kathleen Connally
Tinicum Conservancy on the Web: A New Look (cont. from pg. 1)
The most important goal in building the new website was to make it a useful
information resource for members of the community. Yes, the new site
includes details about the Tinicum Conservancy – its history, track record of
success and the people who serve as board members and staff. But the bulk of
the new content is dedicated to information and education about land
preservation and techniques for good stewardship of our land and natural
resources in order to ensure that Tinicum retains its unspoiled natural beauty
for future generations.
If you are interested in learning more about alternative land preservation
techniques and the legal and tax implications of each approach, you can find
Check out our new website!
it here. If you are contemplating buying a property that is already under a
conservation easement, you can find out what that will mean for you. If you would like to meet some of the people who
have recently completed conservation easements on their properties and hear their stories, you can find it here. You can
also learn more about Land Trust Accreditation Commission, which provides guidance on procedural and financial
governance for organizations like the Tinicum Conservancy.
And if you own land, whether it will ever be preserved or not, you will find tools and techniques you can use to help
maintain the land and natural resources in a healthy state. The Landowner Resource Center is the largest and most
exciting area of new content on the refreshed website. Here you will find a wealth of useful and well-organized
information. You can learn about native plants and invasive species and how to manage the undesirable ones. You can
find information and resources on tree diseases and pests. Learn about wetlands, storm water management and erosion
control. Learn about managing lawns and meadows. Attracting birds and butterflies. Controlling the deer population.
Information about Lyme disease. Learn about restoring damaged ecosystems. Each section contains links to external
websites and other publications and sources of information, government agencies and programs, and where to find
professional assistance. You can also look here to learn about free, in-person educational programs run by the
Conservancy in our local community.
The new website offers multiple opportunities for you to get involved with the Conservancy in other (cont. on next pg.)
Page 4 TI�ICUM CO�SERVA�CY Fall 2010

Membership Celebration: Celebrating Fall and the TC Family
Autumn in a hayfield – what more appropriate setting for a Tinicum event? About 100 people turned out for the third
annual Tinicum Conservancy Membership Celebration, this year in a hayfield at the Quinby family farm in Upper Black
Eddy. But what a hayfield! Perched on a bluff above the Delaware Canal, the meadow is in the spectacular section of the
farm known as Sky Island.
The Quinbys gave hayride tours of the property, and stouthearted TC members took the steep path down the bluff on a
nature walk that ended at a section of the canal. Under a canopy of trees along the bluff’s edge, Conservancy members
and easement holders munched on burgers, hotdogs and a smorgasbord of salads prepared by volunteers.
The event offered the chance to honor two outstanding TC volunteers: John Quinby and John Moore. It also gave TC
Executive Director Jim Engel the opportunity to introduce Kelly Germann, TC resource protection manager, who
recently joined the Conservancy staff.
Engel also revealed an enticing tidbit of land conservancy news: The Bucks County Open Space Commission has
awarded Tinicum Township and its partners, the Conservancy and the Natuaral Lands Trust, TC a $500,000 grant to
help purchase Marshall Island, now owned by the Boy Scouts of America. The island, just north of Treasure Island,
would be open to the public for recreation.
“A special thanks to the Quinby family for generously hosting this year’s event,” said Rich Rosamilia, TC president, “and
the hardworking events committee, who are already scouting out another special location for next year’s event.”
- Article by Dianna Sinovic - Photos by Jim Engel, Peggy Enoch,
and Stana Lennox
Host John Quinby and dog Tyler
The weather was picture-perfect
for catching up with neighbors
Stana Lennox at
the check-in table
The hayride around the property
was a crowd favorite
Diana Allison, Larry Glick,
Dave Allison &
Phil Gillespie
Peggy Enoch and other volunteers
kept the food replenished
Guests peruse a scrapbook of
the Quinby farm history
(cont. from previous pg.) ways. Learn about volunteer opportunities. Become a member. Make a donation. Or check out
the Wish List of items needed by the Conservancy. Maybe you have some of these around the house and are no longer
using them. If you do choose to become a member, or renew your existing membership, or make a cash donation, the new
website allows you to complete the transaction online through our secured site. Of course, you can still donate by phone or
by mail if you prefer. However you choose to donate, your donation is tax-deductible.
The new website was made possible through the generous financial support of Stu and Sally Horn, the Helen Bader
Foundation and the Beneficia Foundation. Thanks to the Walsh Group in Warrington for their expertise and insight in
website design and construction. - Article by Tom Casola
Fall 2010 TI�ICUM CO�SERVA�CY Page 5

TOGETHER, PROTECTING T
TC’s new Resource Conservation
Education Center is Here to Help!
Stewardship. It’s a word that environmental types like to throw
around, but what does it really mean? Stewardship, in its
simplest sense, indicates a responsibility to take care of
something. Historically speaking, stewards were servants who
brought food and drink to the castle dining hall. Later, they
were paid employees who managed household affairs, and
today, we have stewards who provide passenger service on ships,
trains and airplanes. All these stewards have one thing in
common: a responsibility to take care of something.
Environmental stewardship goes one step further. Rather than
being a paid job, environmental stewardship implies that
humans are caretakers with an ethical obligation to care for the
natural world around us.
Many of us are environmental stewards already, in our own little
ways. Some people plant native trees, compost kitchen scraps,
turn off the lights when they leave a room, drive hybrid cars,
hunt responsibly, or install bird and bat houses. Some people
buy or grow their food locally, or care for a few acres of forest,
meadow, wetland and streams. Some people volunteer with
their local environmental nonprofit organization. Every single
positive action is a contribution toward our combined
stewardship efforts.
Tinicum Conservancy’s new Resource Conservation Education
Center is being developed to assist Tinicum Township
landowners in being excellent stewards of their land. The
Center will offer a host of information about plants, wildlife,
ecosystems and management of
land and water. The Center will
have publications and tools for
loan to assist landowners’
stewardship endeavors. The
Center will also offer Property
Natural Resource Assessments to
help conservation easement
landowners identify their
property’s unique natural
resources and challenges and to
focus their long-term
stewardship goals. For more
information, call 610-294-1077
Photo by
Kathleen Connally
or email tcresource@frontier.com.
FRIENDS OF TINICUM
2010
Matthew & Margaret Balitsaris
Thomas Casola & Sue Smithers
Susan Dryfoos
James & Dawn Engel
Paul Havis
Stuart & Sally Horn
David Maue & David Gaudette,
Jim Vaseleck & Hank Cochran
FOUNDATION FRIENDS
2010
Beneficia Foundation
Helen Bader Foundation
Wallace Foundation (Woodtiger)
CORPORATE
MATCHING GIFTS
April 2010 - August 2010
Exxon
NEW ME
Thank you to our new members. The Conservancy’s succes
community members. The following people have join
Bellapigna, Leon & Valli
Marchesi,Deborah
Dexheimer, Kevin
RETURNING
Every year hundreds of our members choose to renew t
your generous support and loyalty! The following mem
Alexander, III & Christine Liddie
Alfred & Margaret Enoch
Amy & Peter Glascott, Jr
Anders & Ceile Hedberg
Anita Crossland & Carol Sadley
Anthony Van Eyck Miller
Barbara Murray
Betsi & John Campbell
Bruce Herzog & Nancy McCarthy
Carl, Jr & Pam Asplundh
Carol Baer & Theodore Abramov
Charles & Susan Scholer
Charles Young & Frederick Blank
Charlotte Freeman & Bernard Shapiro
Christopher & Susan Goodrich
Clement Garrison
Cynthia & Tibor Keler
Dale & Nieves Roadcap
David Bader & Michelle Berrong
David Maue & David Gaudette
David Rasner & Caroline Wischmann
Deborah J Marchesi
Dianna Sinovic
Donald & Ida Canfield
Dr Daniel Arnold & Linda Chaille-Arnold
Dr. Anita Jensen
Dr. Philip & Helene Geetter
Dryfoos Charitable Trust
Earl Rinehold
Elizabeth Orlemann
Frank & Ann Herbsleb
Gilbert Wechsler & Douglas Sardo
Giorgio & Maria Vannucci
Golden Pheasant Inn
Gwen Greenhaus
H. Boyce & Karen Budd
Heather & Christopher Beyer
Herman & Marciene Mattleman
Jack & Sheree Lynn Childs
James & Janice Robinson
James & Rachel McLaughlin
James Klein
James Vaseleck, Jr & Henry Cochran III
Janet & Arthur Anderson
Janet Ruttenberg
Joann Hamilton
Joanne Lund & Brian Dougherty
John Baron
John Seng
John Simonelli
Jonathan & Melissa Reiss
Jonathan Rapp
Joseph & Barbara Hudak
Joseph & Claire Billingham
Joseph & Rebecca Bachinsky
Josephine French
June Rothkopf & Paul Wieand
Kathleen Allen
Kathleen Fitzgibbon
Kenneth & Renee Andersen
Kevin Dexheimer
Kristine & Jerome Becker
Kurt Schneider
Leon, Jr & Valli Bellapigna
Leonard W & Barbara J Riches
Lewis & Sharon Daniels
Louis & Janet Cicalese
Louis Pruitt & Suzanne Stratton
Page 6 TI�ICUM CO

HE FUTURE - OUR LAND
MEMBERS
heir commitment to land preservation. Thank you for
bers have renewed between April 1—August 30, 2010:
Maria Fell
Mark & Pauline Manchester
Mark Schmidt
Martin Weiss
Mary & Amleto Pucci, Jr
Mary Ellen Mathews
Matthew & Margaret Balitsaris
Michael & Joanne Adams
Michael & Sharon Killough
Mitchell & Susan Bunkin
Mr & Mrs Nicholas Domiano
Mrs Thomas E Neibauer
Nancy & Peter Bousum
Nancy Shaffran
Neil & Edwardine Adams
Neil & Marion Kyde
Nicholas Bewsey & Nelson Zayas
Norma Cole
Norman & Diane Schaefer
Patricia Lesko & Ronald Novak
Peter Batts & Karyn Porson
Peter Ott
Philip W Pfeifer
Philip, III & Dian Herman
Phillip & Kim Szymanowski
R. Dale & Gail Whittenberger
Richard & Lorraine Plank
Richard & Madeline Zaveta
Richard Beaumont & Deborah Hinckley
Richard S Bowles, III
Robert & Catherine Siley
Robert & Edith Findlay
Robert & Jean Stanfield
Robert & Patricia Cerwin
MBERS
s is due in part to the generous support of a broad range of
ed the Conservancy between September 1—March 30:
Harrington, Glenn & Christine
Johnson & Johnson
Law School Admission Council
Prudential Foundation
Verizon
EXTRA GIFTS
April 2010 - August 2010
Diane & David Allison
Joseph & Rebecca Bachinsky
Robert & Patricia Cerwin
Dryfoos Charitable Trust
Robert Farinella
Robert Ferguson & Richard Foggio
Robert Ferrari & Dorothy Parker
Robert Hanley
Robert, Jr & Frances Elliott
Robin & Penelope Lochner
Ronald & Anne Molatto
Ronald & Christine Warmingham
Ronald & Joan Carter
Ronald & Karen Christman
Ronald & Virginia Roth
Scott & Cathy Reynolds
Shepard & Grace Morgan
Sidney & Ruth Sklaroff
Stephen & Edythe Victor
Stephen Freeman & Sandra Wonsidler
Stuart & Sally Horn
Susan Ann & Larry French
Sylvia Tomasch
Theodore & Jeanne Klaus
Theodore & Susan Wachtel
Thomas & Cynthia Deibert
Thomas & Edith Woodman
Thomas & Margaret Copenhaver
Todd & Trina Quinby, Barbara Quinby
Vernon & Jean Wehrung
Victoria & Charles Jenkins
Virginia & Cornelius Sigety
William & Maureen Harvey
William & Rosalyn Cahill
William Rose
William Stuart Louden
William Tomai & John Sebesta
Koestler, Thomas & Patricia
Robin & Penelope Lochner
James & Rachel McLaughlin
John Moore & Rob Morrison
Michael Moss & Ellen Chapman
Todd, Trina & Barbara Quinby
Arthur & Natalia Ritter
John Roberts
Philip & Kim Szymanowski
James Vaseleck & Hank Cochran
Vernon & Jean Wehrung
Signs of Conservation in Tinicum
How many times have you been driving, walking, boating or
biking and seen a sign somewhere that says, “This Property is
Permanently Protected?” You may have slowed down, craned
your neck to catch a lingering glimpse of a beautiful landscape,
and sighed to yourself, “How wonderful that that lovely place
will always be protected for all of us to enjoy!”
You may not realize just how many of those gorgeous places in
Tinicum Township are Permanently Protected, but soon, you
will. Tinicum Conservancy is in the early stages of a project that
will place “Permanently Protected” signs on some of its most
exceptional properties under conservation easement.
In order to make an immediate impact, the Conservancy will
start in 2011 by placing just a few signs along a few well-traveled
roads. The Conservancy’s Stewardship Committee has a
rigorous priority system for deciding the best locations for sign
installations. Of course, installation will only occur where we
have a willing easement owner.
This effort has several goals: The signs will highlight the
enduring efforts of many conservation landowners in
partnership with the Conservancy, Tinicum Township and
others. The signs will bring awareness and a sense of pride for all
township residents, knowing that their support for the 2002
Open Space Bond and generous support of the Conservancy
have made a lasting impact on the community in which they
live. We hope people traveling the roads and streams of the
township will consider
contacting Tinicum
Conservancy to inquire
about permanently
preserving their own land.
Look for Signs of
Conservation in Tinicum
Township starting in 2011!
If you have any questions, or
wish to consider a
Permanently Protected sign
for your own conservation
easement property, please
contact Kelly Germann at
610.294.1077 or at
tcresource@frontier.com
Photo by
Kathleen Connally
�SERVA�CY Page 7

Township Hosts Regional Open Space Meeting
Representatives from open space committees, environmental advisory councils, municipal governments,
watershed organizations and area land conservancies gathered in Tinicum at the end
of July for the second annual Upper Bucks Open Space Regional Meeting. Hosted by the Tinicum
Township Open Space Commission, at the Delaware Valley Volunteer Fire House in Erwinna,
the meeting drew people from Bedminster, Bridgeton, Nockamixon, Plumstead, Springfield,
and Tinicum Townships. Kristine Kern, open space director for the county, was an invited
guest.
During registration, attendees were treated to a continuous PowerPoint presentation of scenes
from Upper Bucks, showing some of the many resources the area needs to protect and conserve. On display as well were
maps of the Pennsylvania Highlands, a nationally designated important resource area, to which all of Upper Bucks belongs,
and the Highlands Hub in which we are located – the Welakamike Woods – offiicially named in a Lenape ceremony
as a “beautiful place.”
Fortified with beverages and home-baked goodies, attendees heard from
TC Executive Director Jim Engel about funding for open space purchase
or easement acquisition. The bad news, he explained, is that funding for
land and resource protection is drying up. The good news is that, even in
this economy, some sources are available. Those he shared with the gathering.
Jim Engel, Mark Manchester &
Peggy Enoch
Gary Pearson, Dave Emerson,
Norm McArthur & John Cole
Check-in ?
Tracy Carluccio, assistant Delaware Riverkeeper, provided up-to-the-minute
information about gas extraction and the “fracking” process in the Marcel-
Check-in ?
lus Shale (Western Pennsylvania) and local shale formations underlying
Tinicum and Nockamixon. She explained the possible effects of such drilling on land and water resources in Upper
Bucks. The Delaware Riverkeeper has been studying the issues surrounding this controversial topic. Carluccio urged attendees
to become informed and share their concerns with legislators and rule-makers on this issue. For the latest information
about drilling in the Delaware watershed, go to the Riverkeeper website at www.delawareriverkeeper.org.
Kris Becker, of the Tinicum OSC, presented results of a poll designed to help shape future meetings, which, it was agreed,
are useful for the sharing of information and ideas.
The meeting ended with an open discussion by members regarding their current projects, issues and tactics for conserving
open space. In spite of difficult times economically, people in Upper Bucks County are still interested in conserving their
land and resources for future generations. The group will meet again in the spring of 2011. - Article/Photos by Marion Kyde
Kim Rosamilia, Linda Weiand &
?
Save the Date
November 13, 2010, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Tinicum Conservancy’s Resource Conservation Education Center welcomes Brian “Fox” Ellis, a nationally acclaimed and award-winning
storyteller, as he embodies John James Audubon, one of America’s greatest naturalists and wildlife artists, and tells of his travel adventures to
the wildest places on the planet and celebrates the natural history of North America as he saw it in the early 1800s.
Exclusively for Conservation Easement Landowners
Page 8 TI�ICUM CO�SERVA�CY Fall 2010

EARTH
Photo by
Kathleen Connally
As stars shine down upon
us in the night, I often
find myself gazing up.
Stargazing is a wonderful
pastime, especially in the
area in which we live. The
night sky appears to be a
massive canvas of blue
with tiny, serene white
spots that light up and
sparkle. Which leads me to the question, Why do stars
twinkle in the night? The twinkling is actually a scientific
phenomenon. It describes the rapid variations in apparent
brightness of a distant luminous object when viewed
through the earth’s atmosphere. Wind motion, turbulent
air and varying temperatures all play a role in the
refraction of these light rays. As they pass through the
atmosphere, the rays of light emitted from the stars are
refracted several times in random directions. This leads to
the effect of “twinkling,” which is merely how our eyes
interpret that refracted light. So the next time you are
outside on a fall evening, take a moment to look above
and wish upon a star. You may even see a shooting star.
- Kelly Kendall-Kelly
FIRE
Ready, Aim, FIRE! Deer season. Soon the woods will be
ringing with the sound of gunfire. And soon we will again hear
the familiar and passionate arguments about the pros and cons
of hunting. The simple fact is that hunting is legal and that
hunters have the right to hunt according to the rules. And
equally indisputable is the fact that private landowners have the
right to safety and security in their own homes and on their
own property.
This country was built on a strong belief in individual liberties.
And nowhere is that belief more apparent than in Tinicum
Township. The blessings of open space and less dense housing
in Tinicum usually allow us the freedom to pursue our
individual happiness without impinging on the happiness of our
neighbors. Live and let live seems to be the approach most of
us follow most of the time.
Title 34 of the Pennsylvania Game and Wildlife Code
establishes a long list of rules and
regulations for hunting. We should all
expect that they be followed. But let's
not rely solely on the government to tell
us how to behave. The rules of courtesy,
respect for others, and common sense
are always a good guide, no matter
where you sit on this issue. Let's have a
safe hunting season. - Tom Casola
WIND
Breeze, gust, gale—whatever
you call the movement of
atmospheric air, it is a
physical force. Although you
can’t see wind, it powers
windmills and carries kites
aloft. It can be muggy with
moisture, as on a torrid
summer day, or nose-numbing and dry in the depths of
winter. Wind happens because of differences in air
pressure; air moves from areas of higher pressure to those
of lower pressure. And the greater the difference in
pressure, the faster the breeze that blows through the
treetops. This time of year brings the big winds of the
Atlantic, churning in extreme low pressure as hurricanes.
But the big winds of my Midwest childhood came in the
late spring and summer, when tornadoes could rip
through a town with only a few moments’ warning. When
meteorologists talk about wind direction, they mean the
direction the wind is blowing from—not the way it’s
headed. So, an east wind—the kind that brought Mary
Poppins to town—is coming from the east. Watch a
weathervane, and you’ll see: The arrow points the way.
- Dianna Sinovic
WATER
Water, elusive water, where are you? Here in Tinicum the
ponds are low, the streams are dry, and the trees, crops
and flowers are wilting. You, water, the sustenance of
life, are missed by the plants, animals and humans of
Tinicum. Oh, to experience a day of gentle rain, to hear
the birds rejoicing, to see the deer drinking from the
pond, to see the trees and flowers lifting their leaves in
gratitude, to witness a thunderstorm from my porch, to
walk by rapids in the streams, to see waterfalls flowing.
These are the precious moments that are part of living in
Tinicum. I have taken these for granted, but I will no
longer.
And so, water, here is my promise. When we have rain, I
promise to stop whatever I am doing, and to sit on my
porch and listen to, watch, smell, and treasure your
presence. I promise to express my gratitude to you for
your blessings to plants, animals and humans. And I
promise that I will forever
appreciate the role you play
in the paradise of Tinicum.
Water, precious water, come
back -- soon.
- Gail Whittenberger
Photo by
Kathleen Connally
Photo by
Kathleen Connally
Fall 2010 TI�ICUM CO�SERVA�CY Page 9

THE GREEN THUMB: Putting the Focus on Invasive Plants
Karen Budd (foreground) and group
What do Japanese knotweed, purple loosestrife and English
ivy have in common? They are all invasive exotic plant
species that are an environmental concern in Tinicum
Township and surrounding areas. Tinicum Conservancy
members had the chance to learn about these and other
problem plants—how to identify and manage them—at a late
summer workshop at the Budd farm, a conserved property
on Geigel Hill Road.
Kelly Germann, Conservancy Resource Manager, and
Karen Budd, Conservancy Trustee and former invasive
species specialist for the Nature Conservancy, led the
workshop, assisted by Diane Allison, Conservancy Trustee
and director of Conservancy educational programs.
Next to habitat destruction, invasive exotic species are the greatest threat to biological diversity. These plants have been
introduced in the U.S. for many reasons: sold by nurseries as ornamentals, planted by government agencies to control
erosion and stabilize soil, and even used as packing material for imported porcelain. Mile-a-minute seeds came in to a
nursery in Tennessee with a shipment of holly. Invasive species thrive here, where they have none of their native diseases
or predators. They outcompete and displace native vegetation, and are passed up by browsing deer. Each year, the U.S.
spends about $120 billion nationwide in the effort to control these species.
Workshop participants first saw a presentation on invasives not found on the Budd property but which are of concern
elsewhere in Tinicum. These included Japanese knotweed, mile-a-minute weed, purple loosestrife, bittersweet, bamboo,
English ivy, and burning bush. Participants then moved out onto the property to see other problem species: Japanese
stiltgrass, garlic mustard, multiflora rose, Chinese lespedeza, autumn olive, and Japanese honeysuckle. Participants were
encouraged to remove these plants wherever appropriate by pulling, digging, or mowing. In instances where all else fails,
participants were told about the proper and careful use of herbicides.
This was the last in a series of 2010 workshops to promote the Conservancy’s new Resource Conservation Education
Center for landowners. - Article by Karen Budd/Photos by USDI National Park Service
Red Twig Dogwood Mile-A-Minute Asian Bittersweet
Japanese Knotweed Tree of Heaven
Exotic Bamboo
Page 10 TI�ICUM CO�SERVA�CY Fall 2010

2010 CONSERVATION PROGRAMS
We are still finalizing our 2011 Conservation program series, but one topic for spring will be
“Plant/Don’t Plant,” a follow-up to this year’s invasive plant workshop. Just in time for the
spring gardening season, the program will offer suggestions about choosing native plants.
Check our website, www.tinicumconservancy.org, for program dates and times.
Cleanup Crew
THE PEOPLE PAGE: On the Road With John Moore
Take a look at the happy crowd decked out in orange vests and work boots. They are
members of the River Road Cleanup crew – and they are smiling because of the hard work of
John Moore. Moore and his partner, Rob Morrison, have spearheaded the River Road
Cleanups for about four years, building a network of about 30 volunteers who turn out again
and again to help collect trash. “It’s become a social thing,” Moore says.
He sets the mood with humorous emails alerting participants to each cleanup date, and lures
volunteers with fresh-baked goodies – scones and muffins from the Bridge Café or Milford
Station – that he brings to each cleanup. He also makes sure to take a group photo just before
the trash bags are opened and work begins. “People like to be appreciated,” he explains.
The stretch covered by the cleanups runs from Jugtown Hill Road in the north down to the southern tip of Tinicum Park.
At times, volunteers have filled up more than 50 large bags with trash, but lately, the number has dwindled to less than a
dozen. “I don’t know if the economy is having an effect,” Moore jokes. More likely, it’s because volunteers have worked so
hard to keep the road clean, he says.
What motivates Moore to donate his time? “This is a unique area, with steep ravines and creeks,” he says. He has worked
for the New Jersey Department of Transportation in land use planning and understands the need to make wise decisions
about development. “If there’s a land that needs preservation, this is it,” he says. “That’s why we’re so interested in
helping.” Moore was one of two people honored at this year’s Membership Celebration as an outstanding TC volunteer
(see Page 5). - Article by Dianna Sinovic/Photo by John Moore
Marcellus Shale and Natural Gas Drilling
Marcellus Shale is an organic-rich shale formation that underlies much of western and northeastern Pennsylvania,
including about a third of the Delaware River Watershed. The shale is deep – 7,000 feet or more below the surface in the
Delaware Valley – but it’s been the focus of the energy industry recently because of its extensive reservoir of natural gas.
Thousands of wells have been drilled in Pennsylvania in the last two years, and many property owners in areas where the
shale lies closer to the surface have been under pressure to sign leases for mineral rights.
Getting the gas out of the shale isn’t easy, but advances in drilling technology have now made it financially feasible for
the industry. To tap into the gas, a well is drilled vertically until it reaches the shale, at which point, special tools turn the
well so it runs horizontally, into the formation. Because the shale is dense and doesn’t easily yield the gas it contains,
drillers use hydraulic fracturing. “Fracking” injects hundreds of thousands of gallons of fluid such as water or kerosene
along with sand into the rock formation under extremely high pressure, cracking open fissures in the rock and releasing
the gas.
Environmental groups have raised concerns about the possible environmental impact of the drilling and the waste water
produced by the “fracking” process. Several legislative efforts have been proposed to address safety and environmental
issues. Three moratorium bills - House Bills 2713, 2609 and 1447 – are being considered. In addition, HB 2213 adds
protection for communities where drilling is taking place; HB 2235 calls for a three-year moratorium on gas leases; and
HB 1489 proposes a natural gas tax to help pay for environmental conservation.
Contact state Rep. Margaret Quinn at mquinn@pahousegop.com or state Sen. Charles T. McIlhinney Jr. at
cmcilhinney@pasen.gov if you have concerns about drilling in the Marcellus Shale. - Article by Tracy Carluccio/Dianna Sinovic
Fall 2010 TI�ICUM CO�SERVA�CY Page 11

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Photo by Kathleen Connally
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