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| Updated:819/2008------Photo Gallery-------Aerial of Trail ------ SRTA Yahoo Group The August/September issue of the newsletter will be mailed out this weekend and posted on the SRTA website: www.susquehannarivertrail.org Keep up to date with SRTA happenings and river conditions by checking the website. Questions, answers, suggestions? Call our message line at 717-948-6780
USDA RESCUES BOAT Monday, July 21, 2008 BY ALLISON GARVEY For The Patriot-News -- A $90,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has brightened a grim future for the historic ferry, said Diane Hammaker, operations manager for the Millersburg Ferry Boat Association. MORE SRTA is formally recognized by the following organizations:
SRTA Designated a National Recreation Trail Monday evening (7/14/08), at the Fort Hunter Fish & Boat Commission boat ramp, representatives from the National Park Service, PA Fish & Boat Commission, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Susquehanna Greenways, other state and local stakeholders and founding members of the SRTA will gather with friends to honor the election of the SRTA to the ranks of the National Recreation Trail (NRT) listing, established by the United States Department of the Interior. In addition to the honor of the designation and the privilege of displaying the NRT logo, SRTA will be able to rely on the honor in applying for additional help and funding for future development. The popularity of water trails indicates that SRTA will continue to grow and needs to take advantage of the recognition to carry out its mission.
Get Your Copy of the Susquehanna River Water Trail (Middle Section) Map and Trail Guide Today at the Following Locations...
DCNR-PAMAP Ortho Imagery of the Water Trail The PAMAP program at DCNR is producing dramatic new color imagery for the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Areas covered by the river trail are now available to the public. The best way to view the new imagery is through the PASDA PAMAP image viewer. Using this tool, you can tour the trail using the new high-resolution, color, aerial orthophotography produced by the PAMAP program. Use the controls on the viewer's user interface to zoom, re-center, and download images >> CLICK HERE -- Broadband connections are highly recommended to use the image viewer -- in fact, you probably won't have much fun at this site with dial-up. Invasive Species on SRTA Islands being Studied Representatives from DCNRs' Bureau of Forestry and Office of Conservation Science met with several SRTA officers on June 6, visiting three island campsites for field checks on the presence of various plant species. Under field study are iden- tification of target invasive species, their concentration and what effect they are having on the island plant community. Plans are centering on picking a specific species, a practical site for the study and an effective control method, suitable for difficult to control settings, as represented by SRTA islands. Informative materials will be obtained or developed and made available for island visitors in the log book boxes at each campsite. Volunteers will be trained to assist DCNR in monitoring the control efforts and work with other interested agencies.
All SRTA field volunteers must fill out and submit a medical information form before going out onto the river on a SRTA sponsored activity. A copy of the medical form can be downloaded by CLICKING HERE. |
Photo Courtesy of Greg Jensen ---- (View gallery) Environmental Futures for the Susquehanna River and Valley: Three Personal Assessments Michael Helfrich has volunteered on the Navajo Indian Reservation working on water and legal issues, organized the Codorus Creek Improvement Partnership for the Codorus Creek Basin , and now is Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper. Major Upgrades on SRTA Water Trail this Season A generous contribution of funds to purchase a new maintenance boat, motor and trailer was made this spring by Sunbury Generation LLC of Shamokin Dam. Added to this is the sweat equity of SRTA and other community volunteers who are making many upgrades to the trail with the following current results:1
Great River Adventure a Success A sunny Saturday, June 28, was a good day for paddlers on the Susquehanna River Water Trail, Middle Section when they participated in the Second Annual Great River Adventure (GRA). Punctuated with a short, welcome and cooling rain shower to help keep spirits and water levels up, 134 children and adults from age 3 to 84 traveled by canoe or kayak from Ft. Hunter to City Island, Harrisburg to compete for cash prizes, medals or to just have fun. Professionally outfitted racing kayaks and canoes completed the 10 mile course in as little as one hour in competition for $1750 in cash prizes. Nonprofessional men, women and children, competing in six racing categories, completed a seven mile course to the same destination. The most popular event was an Island Hopper trip in which small guided groups of individuals and families traveled the same seven mile course, un-timed. They stopped at three islands and the Wormleysburg town dock along the way to learn about the geology, geography, ecology and history of the river and its users. Susquehanna River Trail Designated as National Recreation Trail In the spirit of the 40 th Anniversary of the National Trails System, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced on June 4th that he has designated 24 trails in 16 states as new National Recreation Trails, adding more than 1,100 miles of trails to the National Trails System. The Susquehanna River Water Trail Middle Section is one of those trails. The announcement coincides with the 16th annual celebration of National Trails Day on Saturday, June 7, 2008. The theme for this year, Join Us on the Trail, encourages people of all ages to get outside and use trails for exercise and exploration. Thousands of trail enthusiasts participate in hikes, educational programs, bike rides, volunteer repair projects, festivals, paddle trips, and trail dedications across the country. National Recreation Trails (NRTs) have been a touchstone of the National Trails System since the first designations in 1971. The NRTs recognize existing trails that connect people to local resources and improve their quality of life. Each of the new trails will receive a certificate of designation and trail markers. They join a network of more than 1,000 trails encompassing more than 12,000 miles. The Susquehanna River Water Trail Lower Section, that extends from Harrisburg to the Southern Pennsylvania border, was similarly designated on June 7. The NRT Program is jointly administered by the NPS Rivers , Trails and Conservation Assistance Program and the U.S. Forest Service in conjunction with a number of other federal and nonprofit partners, notably American Trails, which hosts the National Recreation Trail website at www.american trails.org/nationalrecreationtrails. The Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA) is a community resource of the National Park Service. RTCA staff provide technical assistance to community groups and local, state, and federal government agencies so they can conserve rivers, preserve open space, and develop trails and greenways. More information is available online at http://www.nps.gov/rtca
Photo Courtesy of Greg Jensen ---- (View gallery)
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Copyright 2008 - Susquehanna River Trail Association, Inc. - P.O. Box 62023 - Harrisburg, PA 17106 - Voice (717) 948-6780 (SRTA Bylaws) |
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