CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

The committee keeps Members current on federal policy initiatives, GCA initiatives, within Zone V and at the national level, and identifies advocacy opportunities for the club as they relate to the conservation and preservation of our local habitat.

CONSERVATION of the DELAWARE RIVER WATERSHED

Kickstarted by a $35 million grant from the William Penn Foundation in 2013, the Delaware River Watershed Initiative (DRWI) is a collaborative conservation effort aimed at protecting and restoring the Delaware River Basin, which spans parts of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The initiative focuses on improving water quality, safeguarding natural habitats, and enhancing the resilience of local communities to climate change. Through partnerships with over 62 nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and other local stakeholders, the Initiative works to reduce pollution, manage stormwater, promote sustainable land use practices, and protect critical watersheds that supply drinking water to over 15 million people.

In addition to the DRWI, there is also the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund (DWCF) which was established by the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act in 2016 to support a variety of conservation efforts within the Delaware River Basin. It is a federal grant program that provides funding for projects aimed at protecting, restoring, and improving the health of the watershed, including habitat restoration, water quality improvement, and flood mitigation. The DWCF is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and helps leverage additional private, state, and local resources for conservation activities.

This video highlights the importance of this major watershed for our region.

FALL 2024 ISSUE of GCA’s PUBLICATION of ConWatch - Conservation Rock Stars

PENDING FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE ISSUES - GCAs WHAT WE ARE WATCHING CHART

What We Are Watching chart gives an overview of legislation that the GCA is monitoring closely. The Legislation and Policy Updates provide a more in-depth analysis of current legislative and policy issues. View the Latest What We Are Watching Chart Here.

ANN MARIE MURRAY - GCA CONSERVATION COMMITTEE CENTENNIAL DISHES

To commemorate the Centennial anniversary of the GCA Conservation Committee, noted artist Ann Marie Murray has created two stunning hand-painted commemorative dishes. Both dishes include an acorn and oak leaf motif. The bottom of each dish reads “handpainted for GCA Conservation Committee Centennial 1924-2024.”

Medium sized Deb Haaland Dish: “We only have one earth. Let’s take care of it”, a quote by Deb Haaland, Native American public servant and the 54th U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

Slightly larger Jane Goodall Dish:“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what difference you want to make,” a quote by Jane Goodall, esteemed conservationist and the world’s foremost authority on chimpanzees. Perfect gift to celebrate your conservation heroes! Price $98 small or $115 large

WATER SAVING TIPS (taken from a range of sources):

1. Fix leaks: Check for leaks in faucets and pipes regularly and fix them as soon as possible. 

2.  Install low-flow fixtures: Low-flow and WaterSense labeled shower heads and faucets can save billions of gallons of water each year.  

3. Use a dishwasher: Dishwashers use 80% less water than washing by hand. 

4. Collect rainwater: Rainwater can be used to water plants or even supply water to your home.

5. Water your lawn in the morning: Watering your lawn in the morning when it's cooler prevents water from evaporating before the roots can absorb it. 

6. Reuse water: You can reuse water from pasta cooking to water plants or gardens. 

7. Take short showers: Turn off the water while soaping or shampooing. 

8. Turn off water while brushing teeth or shaving and plug sink when doing dishes.

9. Avoid flushing the toilet too often: Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket. 

10. Plant in the spring and fall: Plants need less water during these seasons. 

11. Use water-friendly equipment: Replace old dishwashers with energy-saving devices. 

12. Avoid bottled water: Waste of water and plastic. Keep a pitcher of water in the fridge to reduce running tap to get cold water.

Go to the club calendar to view a wide variety of upcoming courses and lectures in the area. To further support this designation and the planting and propagation of Native Plants, the Conservation Committee has assembled some local native plant resources for your review and use:

• Guide to Top Performing Native Plants

• Where to Buy Native Plants

SEA LEVEL TRENDS - EXPLORE THE IMPACT ON OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

With continued ocean and atmospheric warming, sea levels will likely rise for many centuries at rates higher than that of the current century. In the United States, almost 40 percent of the population lives in relatively high-population-density coastal areas, where sea level plays a role in flooding, shoreline erosion, and hazards from storms. Globally, eight of the world's 10 largest cities are near a coast, according to the U.N. Atlas of the Oceans. 

Click here to use NOAA’s SEA LEVEL RISE VIEWER

Global sea level trends and relative sea level trends are different measurements. Just as the surface of the Earth is not flat, the surface of the ocean is also not flat—in other words, the sea surface is not changing at the same rate globally. Sea level rise at specific locations may be more or less than the global average due to many local factors: subsidence, upstream flood control, erosion, regional ocean currents, variations in land height, and whether the land is still rebounding from the compressive weight of Ice Age glaciers.

Sea level is primarily measured using tide stations and satellite laser altimeters. Tide stations around the globe tell us what is happening at a local level—the height of the water as measured along the coast relative to a specific point on land. Satellite measurements provide us with the average height of the entire ocean. Taken together, these tools tell us how our ocean sea levels are changing over time.

Higher sea levels mean that deadly and destructive storm surges push farther inland than they once did, which also means more frequent nuisance flooding. Disruptive and expensive, nuisance flooding is estimated to be from 300 percent to 900 percent more frequent within U.S. coastal communities than it was just 50 years ago.

THE XERCES SOCIETY

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat.

OTHER RESOURCES OF INTEREST

• How to Get Rid of Invasives

• The Invasive Mantis Species

• River Runner - Watch the Journey of a rain drop from anywhere in the U.S.
  

RECENT CLUB CONSERVATION PROGRAM HANDOUTS AND SUPPLEMENTS

GCW’s Quarantine Conservation Tips - May 2020

Navigating the Motus Network - January 2020 - Ian Stewart, DNS - PROGRAM SUPPLEMENT

A Few of Our Sustainable Suggestions - December 2019

Click here for a list of Invasive Plants in Pennsylvania

Click here for Tips for Handling Yard Waste to Contain and Control Spotted Lanternfly

Conservation Committee

RESOURCES

We love milkweed (Asclepias sp.) for their natural beauty and because they help the endangered Monarch butterfly but is there a whole new reason to plant this native perennial in your garden? READ MORE HERE

More from Penn State Extension on what make's milkweed so special.

DSWA RECYCLING COLLECTION SCHEDULE

DSWA operates Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Events at different locations throughout the year and weekly through out locations in the state. Delaware residents can bring their HHW to the event free of charge.