|
|
|
Our Mission:
To Promote the Health of the Fishing Creek Watershed
To Promote the Health of the Fishing Creek Watershed
****UPCOMING EVENTS****
“Improving the Housing Market: Conservation Initiative for Cavity Nesting Birds.”
Stefan Karkuff
Avian Recovery Biologist from the Wildlife Recovery Division of the PA Game Commission
Monday, February 9, 2026, at 7 PM
(See description below)
______________________________________
****All events will be held in the Lower Level Conference Room in the Ag Services Building
at 702 Sawmill Road, Bloomsburg PA 17815 unless noted otherwise****
Fishing Creek Watershed Association Meeting
Monday,February 9, 7 PM
Large Meeting Room, 702 Sawmill Rd, Bloomsburg
Housing shortages don’t just affect humans. For our February program, Stefan Karkuff, Avian Recovery Biologist from the Wildlife Recovery Division of the PA Game Commission, will present the program “Improving the Housing Market: Conservation Initiative for Cavity Nesting Birds.”
Most of us will be surprised to learn that purple martins and chimney swifts need help finding adequate housing. Both species nest in manmade structures— similar to bluebird boxes— but on a grander scale. Unfortunately both species are declining. So the PA Game Commission, in an attempt to halt the decline, is deploying purple martin structures and chimney swift towers statewide, along with signage to educate the public about their conservation efforts.
Because martins and swifts are so accustomed to nesting near humans, they present a unique opportunity to place nesting structures in highly visible public parks— such as Kocher Park— where conservation and education can be highly impactful. Come learn more about the life histories and conservation efforts for these unique Pennsylvania residents, as well as what you can do to become involved.
Monday,February 9, 7 PM
Large Meeting Room, 702 Sawmill Rd, Bloomsburg
Housing shortages don’t just affect humans. For our February program, Stefan Karkuff, Avian Recovery Biologist from the Wildlife Recovery Division of the PA Game Commission, will present the program “Improving the Housing Market: Conservation Initiative for Cavity Nesting Birds.”
Most of us will be surprised to learn that purple martins and chimney swifts need help finding adequate housing. Both species nest in manmade structures— similar to bluebird boxes— but on a grander scale. Unfortunately both species are declining. So the PA Game Commission, in an attempt to halt the decline, is deploying purple martin structures and chimney swift towers statewide, along with signage to educate the public about their conservation efforts.
Because martins and swifts are so accustomed to nesting near humans, they present a unique opportunity to place nesting structures in highly visible public parks— such as Kocher Park— where conservation and education can be highly impactful. Come learn more about the life histories and conservation efforts for these unique Pennsylvania residents, as well as what you can do to become involved.
FCWA–Celebrating 2025 and Welcoming 2026
Thanks to the support of our members and volunteers, Fishing Creek Watershed Association enjoyed another productive and interesting year. A major reason for that success is the quality of the speakers who enriched us with these educational programs this year. We are extremely grateful!
In addition to these programs, FCWA members took part in other events in our watershed, including Fish’n Fun at Kocher Park in June, the Fourth Annual Susquehanna Valley Watershed Festival in July, and several cleanups of Kocher Park and Fishing Creek. We had a very successful day at ArtFest in Bloomsburg in August, where our annual Container Garden Contest set a new record for money earned to fund the plantings at Kocher Park.
As we plan another active and educational year, we want to thank the members and friends who volunteered their time and offered suggestions to help us improve our conservation efforts. We are an all-volunteer organization, and welcome others to join us in our efforts to protect the health of our watershed. You can join FCWA or renew your membership by using the attached membership form. We look forward to seeing you at our programs in 2026, and wish you a happy and healthy new year!
Yours in conservation,
Linda Dietrichson, Susan Webster and Dr. Jennifer Whisner
Thanks to the support of our members and volunteers, Fishing Creek Watershed Association enjoyed another productive and interesting year. A major reason for that success is the quality of the speakers who enriched us with these educational programs this year. We are extremely grateful!
- Dr. Eric C. Miller led a discussion on “The Good Life in the Era of Climate Change”..
- Bill Williams took us back in time to meet the CCC Boys of Camp Morton.
- Alan Belles, from our Columbia County Conservation District, reviewed the innumerable projects that improve the health of our watershed.
- Clay Corbin, with help from John Slotterback, took us birding in Kocher Park.
- Cynthia Schroll led us on two tours of the pollinator plantings in Kocher Park.
- Tanya Nebroski and other members of the Bloomsburg Community Creek Cleanup Project amazed (and horrified) us with slides of the tons of trash they remove monthly from our creek and along area roads.
- Dr. Irmgard Seidl- Adams opened our eyes to some of the tiniest residents of Kocher Park— the moss family.
- John Oast, the “Fishyaker”, introduced us to a fast-growing new sport: fishing from kayaks.
- Jake Klinger and Justin Faus, Columbia County Game Wardens, and Cadet Shaw educated us about black bears and taught us how to act when we meet them.
In addition to these programs, FCWA members took part in other events in our watershed, including Fish’n Fun at Kocher Park in June, the Fourth Annual Susquehanna Valley Watershed Festival in July, and several cleanups of Kocher Park and Fishing Creek. We had a very successful day at ArtFest in Bloomsburg in August, where our annual Container Garden Contest set a new record for money earned to fund the plantings at Kocher Park.
As we plan another active and educational year, we want to thank the members and friends who volunteered their time and offered suggestions to help us improve our conservation efforts. We are an all-volunteer organization, and welcome others to join us in our efforts to protect the health of our watershed. You can join FCWA or renew your membership by using the attached membership form. We look forward to seeing you at our programs in 2026, and wish you a happy and healthy new year!
Yours in conservation,
Linda Dietrichson, Susan Webster and Dr. Jennifer Whisner
The ArtFest Container Garden Contest 2025
We had a beautiful day, excellent entries and helpful volunteers, so it was the best ArtFest yet! Our 15 container garden entries attracted much attention and earned a record $627 toward our Kocher Park pollinator projects.
Our thanks go to everyone who entered, the members and friends who helped at the booth and to all who voted for their favorite gardens. The winning garden, “Nurse Log”, created and built by Joan McCarty, Cynthia Schroll and Keith Kocher, was both educational and beautiful. Its destination after winning will be in the woods, where it will decompose and continue to benefit flora and fauna. Congratulations to Cynthia, Keith and Joan for their prize-winning natural entry. (Cynthia was not present for the photo of the winning garden.)
In case you missed ArtFest, here are some pictures of the entries. We hope they inspire you to enter the contest next year and help us to set a new record!
We had a beautiful day, excellent entries and helpful volunteers, so it was the best ArtFest yet! Our 15 container garden entries attracted much attention and earned a record $627 toward our Kocher Park pollinator projects.
Our thanks go to everyone who entered, the members and friends who helped at the booth and to all who voted for their favorite gardens. The winning garden, “Nurse Log”, created and built by Joan McCarty, Cynthia Schroll and Keith Kocher, was both educational and beautiful. Its destination after winning will be in the woods, where it will decompose and continue to benefit flora and fauna. Congratulations to Cynthia, Keith and Joan for their prize-winning natural entry. (Cynthia was not present for the photo of the winning garden.)
In case you missed ArtFest, here are some pictures of the entries. We hope they inspire you to enter the contest next year and help us to set a new record!
|
|
|
|
|
|
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Check us out on our Facebook page
for more information and follow our upcoming events!
for more information and follow our upcoming events!
