Newsletter-FALL '10 FINAL FINAL - Tinicum Conservancy

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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
Page 1 and 2: FALL 2010 GREEN ACRES Northern Tip
Page 3 and 4: Your Conservancy could not function
Page 5 and 6: Membership Celebration: Celebrating
Page 7: HE FUTURE - OUR LAND MEMBERS heir c
Page 11 and 12: 2010 CONSERVATION PROGRAMS We are s

Newsletter-FALL '10 FINAL FINAL - Tinicum Conservancy

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