Author: Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited

The public is invited to meet Matt Kaunert, Director of the Clean Water Institute (CWI) and Research and Teaching Associate of Biology at Lycoming College who will make a presentation on the CWI’s programs to engage its students in research and conservation projects on local streams and watersheds. The CWI is a valued partner of Trout Unlimited and has conducted important work to protect important stream resources, habitat and aquatic ecosystems throughout northcentral PA while teaming with regional, state and national conservation agencies and organizations.

     The Institute is dedicated to helping students grow in their chosen disciplines as well as to contributing to our understanding, protection, and restoration of local watersheds including Loyalsock Creek projects, the PA Fish and Boat Commission Unassessed Waters Program, agricultural stream restoration, acid mine drainage abatement, hellbender reproduction, urban stormwater mitigation, and plankton sampling on Rose Valley Lake.

     The CWI has also been a leading partner with the Williamsport Municipal Water Authority in providing outreach experiences for local K-12 schools at the Waterdale Environmental Education Center as well as outreach coordination with the James V. Brown Public Library, Loyalsock Creek Watershed Association, and Trout Unlimited.

     Papers on research and work done by the CWI have been presented at regional, statewide, and international conferences hosted by a number of professional organizations, including the Bucknell River Symposium, Pennsylvania Academy of Science, Society for Freshwater Science, and the Symposium for Urbanization and Stream Ecology.

     Matt Kaunert joined Lycoming in May 2023 having earned his B.S. in biology from Allegheny College and M.S. in biology from Georgia Southern University. Before joining Lycoming, Matt worked as a biological scientist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s American Alligator Research Section and conducted threatened and endangered species research with the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Ohio University regarding Eastern Hellbender conservation in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

     The meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at 7:00 pm at the Covenant Central Presbyterian Church, 807 W. 4th Street, Williamsport. Parking and entrance to the Church is at the rear of the building with access off of Campbell Street. The public is cordially invited to attend. For more information, please see our website at https://susquehannatu.com/ and https://www.Lycoming.edu/cwi/ 

It’s Election Time!

     The Chapter’s annual election will be held at the November 8, 2023 Chapter meeting.  All positions are open as well as Director positions.

     Please think about running for one of these positions or if you know someone who would want to serve.  If you are nominating someone, please check with them first to see if they are willing to serve. 

    You can send us your nomination at susquehannatu@gmail.com or contact any of the officer’s on page 2 of this newsletter. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor prior to the election.

     The nominating committee has provided the following list of candidates:

President  OPEN

Vice President Steve Martin

Secretary     Kevin McJunkin

Treasurer     Bob Baker

Director (3 year  term)     Bill Worobec

Director (3 year term)     Jim Latini

Director (2 year to replace Steve Martin)     Dave Walters

Director (1 year to replace Dave Craig)    Mike Ditchfield

     Thank you for all of your support and help in the past and for the consideration that you will give to the upcoming election.  The time you put into each position varies and you can put in as much time as you can devote. For more information on any of these positions, please let us know.

At the November 8, 2023 Chapter Meeting, we will be holding our annual elections. We ask all of you to please consider running for any of these positions. Should you have an interest and would like any information on any position, please let us know. We have over 300 members so there are plenty of people to serve THEIR Chapter.

The following positions are open

President (Walt Nicholson is stepping down)

Vice President

Secretary

Treasurer

Director 3 year term

Director 3 year term

Director 1 year term (Dave Craig is stepping down and position will be to fill his remaining term)

Picnic and Meeting at Trout Run Park

Want to learn about our TU chapter activities and conservation project updates, perhaps try out fly casting as a first-timer or sharpen your skills under the instruction of experienced fly fishers?  The public is welcome to a picnic and outdoor meeting of the Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited at Trout Run Park on Wednesday, September 13^th. Several rod and reel outfits will be available for those to use who do not have them.  You can also observe the fishing platform on Lycoming Creek constructed by our members and some of the habitat structures placed along the stream to create fish habitat and control bank erosion.  Free first-time TU memberships will be available for those in attendance.

Meet, greet and demos will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Trout Run Park pavilion followed by a picnic with hot dogs, corn on the cob and drinks provided.  Participants can bring some desserts or side dishes to share.  A map and directions on how to get there from Williamsport can be found on the link to Google Maps at Trout Run Park – Google Maps or as found below and on the Susquehanna TU website at https://susquehannatu

We thought we would try something different for the September issue of the Susquehanna Ripples.

We would like to an end of summer issue featuring you and your memories from this summer. Please consider submitting pictures of your travels, fishing, a sunset you saw, any animals you encountered or just scenery. Please include a brief description.

We would also like any stories.  You do not have to be a member of our Chapter or Trout Unlimited, to submit things to our newsletter.

We are fortunate to live in a Country with beautiful places and lots of animals, and great fishing opportunities because of the work that TU, and other conservation groups have done. Let’s see you outside enjoying mother nature and the healthy places that conservation groups have worked so hard for. 

You can anything you would like to submit to susquehannatu@gmail.com.  everything submitted must be appropriate in nature and related to our goals and mission. Any pictures of kids under 18 have have a parent’s statement in email giving us permission to use their picture. Please have submissions to us by August 31 to be in September issue. Any submission after that date will be placed in the next issue.

Click the followinglink to learn more and to find the nomination form. https://patrout.org/index.php/patu-awards-nominations/

Award Descriptions:

Edward Urbas Award for Best PA Chapter:
Award given to the chapter that best exemplifies the work of TU, including involvement in conservation efforts, community activities, outreach, youth activities, etc.

Best Small Chapter:
Same criteria as Edward Urbas Award but limited to chapters with 150 or fewer members.

Best Chapter Project:
Award recognizes an exceptional initiative, project, or effort on the part of a TU chapter which demonstrates efficient use of resources and which utilizes effective partnerships with other organizations such as government agencies, other non-profits, schools, etc., and which had a notable impact on the community and/or environment.

Doc Fritchey Award for Outstanding Coldwater Conservationist TU Member:
Award recognizes a TU member with a history of exemplifying PATU’s core values and mission- conserving, protecting, and restoring PA’s coldwater fisheries and watersheds and who demonstrates a commitment to volunteerism.

Outstanding Coldwater Conservationist-Professional:
Award recognizes an individual, either from a governmental agency, private enterprise, or non-profit organization who has made an exceptional effort to help fulfill the TU mission of conserving, protecting, restoring and sustaining PA’s coldwater fisheries and watersheds.

Outstanding Volunteer:
Award recognizes a person who, while not necessarily a member of TU or a conservationist professional, was particularly helpful and who contributed time and effort to supporting a TU chapter or project. Their efforts on either a single project or on an ongoing basis can be considered and described in the nomination

Best Chapter Website:
Award recognizes a TU chapter’s website that is attractive, clear, up-to-date and easy to navigate

Samuel Slaymaker Award for Best Chapter Newsletter:
Award recognizes a TU chapter’s newsletter which includes information about said chapter’s activities that is current, well-presented and clear, and visually attractive.

Dr. Jack Beck Award for Outstanding Youth Outreach:
Award recognizes an individual who has shown exceptional leadership and commitment to youth outreach, programs, and activities.

Ken Sink Award to Outstanding Service to PATU:
Award is given to a person who contributes to PATU’s mission in a notable way. It is intended to recognize a person who had been involved for a significant period of time and who has demonstrated steadfast dedication to coldwater conservation, protection, restoration, as well as volunteerism and leadership. It is not necessarily presented every year.

Inky Moore Award for Outstanding Service to State Council:
Award recognizes a person through his or her recent efforts, shows promise as a future leader of the organization. PATU board and/or council members must make nominations.

Diversity Award:
This award recognizes a chapter that is engaged in adding diversity among the members in the chapter. It is important that chapters ensure that youth, women, and men take an active part in TU chapters. This ensures that TU chapters are able to carry on and it allows experienced chapter members to cultivate knowledge to new members. But it is also important that all members bring a voice to the chapter to ensure forward momentum.

This angler had spent his morning fly fishing and was showing off what he caught. Are YOU interested in learning to fly fish? Are YOU new to fly fishing and want to work on your technique?

Join NPC, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission , Susquehanna Chapter of Trout Unlimited , and Little Pine State Park for an “Introduction to Fly Fishing!”

We’ll be at LIttle Pine State Park on Saturday, August 19, 2023 from 9am to 1pm.

Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, water, and a lunch (and/or snack). We’ll provide the flyrods and flys!

Pre-registration is required:
https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/200270

The above was taken from https://www.facebook.com/NPConservancy?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Many of you may remember Shannon White when she did extensive work in the Loyalsock Creek Watershed while working on her PhD while at Penn Sate. We want to congratulate her on this recognition and award and look forward to her future work! The following was taken from the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Centers Facebook page.

Today we want to highlight a great accomplishment by one of our EESC scientists. Shannon White, PhD has been selected as a 2023 recipient of the American Fisheries Society Genetics Section Early Career Award. Shannon’s contributions to EESC have been notable, from genetic analysis on Atlantic sturgeon across North America to evaluating populations of flathead catfish in the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers. As a fisheries ecologist who combines molecular technologies and statistical modeling to provide decision-relevant information for species of conservation concern, Shannon’s work is outstanding. Thanks for all that you do, Shannon!

To learn more about Shannon’s research visit: https://ow.ly/yVjU50PshaC

Photo Credit: Shannon White, USGS.