The Conestoga River Club has planned an evening by the Conestoga for anyone who wants to learn, play, and connect with nature. Participants can go on a self guided scavenger hunt, looking for plants and animals, or they can learn how to fly-fish with specialists along the water. We will have volunteers at Reigart’s Landing with kayaks and safety gear in order to introduce the public to the joys of kayaking on the River. County Park will offer a macroinvertebrate identification table where you can help count critters, learning how they give us an indication of the health of the water in the Conestoga River.
Representatives from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will join us to focus on two areas (1) with detailed information on the effects of microplastics in our water (and our bodies), and (2) detailing the rock formations that can be found in the Conestoga River. We also have representatives tabling from the Lancaster Conservancy, Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light focusing on the importance of tree canopies to the health of a watershed, and the U.S. Coast Guard with information on water safety. Another exciting component of the evening is that we will be taking part in a global “Home River Bioblitz” that is occuring that weekend all over the world. A Bioblitz is a communal citizen-science effort to record a wide variety of species on a specific location within a certain timeframe. Bioblitzes are a way to connect people to their environments. The Home River Bioblitz focuses on the biodiversity in and around rivers, which are at the heart of all ecosystems.
This event connects the stories of the people that protect, restore and celebrate these valuable places. This first year of participating we are honing in on three taxas, trees, birds, and macroinvertebrates. Specialists will take us on 45 minute guided tours looking to identify birds at 4:00 pm and 5:30 pm, and trees at 4:45 pm and 6:15 pm. It should be fun evening for everyone. Stop by for an hour or stay the whole time.
