The workshop will occur from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 18, at the Buffalo Creek Nature Center, 154 Monroe Road, Sarver, Butler County; the event will be repeated from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 31, at the Lower Allen Township Municipal Building, 2233 Gettysburg Road, Camp Hill, Cumberland County.
Pennsylvania has the second-highest number of stream miles in the United States, yet the health of these waterways often goes unnoticed, according to organizers.
This workshop will examine how watershed landscapes and human activity influence stream health, including impacts on aquatic life, habitat and visible pollution.
Designed for formal and nonformal environmental educators, the session will explore common physical, biological and chemical indicators of stream condition and introduces the First Investigation of Stream Health, or FISH, protocol as a hands-on assessment tool.
Participants will learn how to guide students in evaluating local streams and will receive the First Investigation of Stream Health Educator Guidebook, aligned with Pennsylvania Science, Technology and Engineering, and Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Standards, or STEELS, along with an educator kit containing materials to lead visual and biological stream assessment activities.
Among other topics, participants will learn:
— How watershed landscapes affect stream health.
— Common physical, biological and chemical indicators of stream health.
— How to use the First Investigation of Stream Health protocol to assess stream condition.
— How to guide students through a local stream health assessment.
Participants should be prepared to spend approximately two hours outside, walking to the stream site over uneven terrain and accessing the stream bank and edge.
Attendees should bring lunch and a water bottle, dress for outdoor activities, and wear rain boots or shoes that can get wet.
This workshop is offered at no cost to participants through financial and other support provided by the Department of Environmental Protection's Environmental Education Grants Program.
Organizers note that space is limited, so preregistration is required. Registration deadlines vary by event.
More information is available on the Penn State Extension website at the First Investigation of Stream Health Educator Workshop webpage.
Questions should be directed to Natalie Marioni, Master Watershed Steward coordinator, at 717-706-6040 or nkm5342@psu.edu.
Related Articles This Week:
-- DEP’s Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy Hosts March 18 Webinar On Updates To Growing Greener, Section 319 And Other Watershed Restoration Grants [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension Hosts 5-Part Advanced Stream Repair Webinar Series Starting March 27 [PaEN]
-- Penn State Extension Hosts In-Person Stream Health Investigation Educator Workshops March 18 In Butler County, March 31 In Cumberland County [PaEN]
[Posted: February 24, 2026] PA Environment Digest
No comments :
Post a Comment