Voting to begin for Pennsylvania’s 2024 ‘River of the Year’

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn this week announced the public is invited to vote online for the 2024 Pennsylvania River of the Year, choosing from among three waterways nominated throughout the state.

“I am excited for this year’s competition and look forward to seeing which river comes out on top,” Dunn said. “This annual competition is a great way to highlight Pennsylvania’s special waterways and the benefits they bring for conservation, recreation, economic development, and so much more. We look forward to tallying up votes and announcing the 2024 River of the Year in the coming months.”

The nominees for the 2024 River of the Year are:

• Allegheny River

• Lackawaxen River

• Youghiogheny River

Nominations were based on each waterway’s conservation needs, successes, and programming plans if the nominee is voted 2024 River of the Year.

Selection of public voting choices is overseen by the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) in cooperation with DCNR. Dunn noted that the online public selection process continues to be increasingly popular as it enters its fourteenth year.

The public can vote for a favorite state waterway through 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. The POWR website enables voting and offers details on nominated waterways and the River of the Year program. Voting is managed through Woobox, an online contest application restricting voting to one email address.

POWR, an affiliate of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), administers the River of the Year program with funding from DCNR. Presented annually since 1983, last year’s 2023 River of the Year designation was awarded North Branch Susquehanna River.

“We are excited to once again kick off the public online voting process for Pennsylvania River of the Year,” said Janet Sweeney, executive director of POWR. “As we all continue to spend more time outdoors and deepen our appreciation for the beautiful natural resources of Pennsylvania, the annual River of the Year voting process is a fun way to rally behind and support your favorite waterway.”

After a waterway is chosen for the annual honor, local groups implement a year-round slate of activities and events to celebrate the river, including a paddling trip, or sojourn. The organization nominating the winning river will receive a $10,000 leadership grant from DCNR to help fund River of the Year activities.

POWR and DCNR also work with local organizations to create a free, commemorative poster celebrating the River of the Year.

The River of the Year sojourn is among many paddling trips supported each year by DCNR and POWR. An independent program, the Pennsylvania Sojourn Program, is a unique series of a dozen such trips on the state’s rivers.

The water-based journeys for canoeists, kayakers and others raise awareness of the environmental, recreational, tourism and heritage values of rivers.

To learn more about DCNR’s Rivers Program, visit dcnr.pa.gov, go to “Conservation” and click on “Water.”

Sen. Casey supports legislation

to support rural family foresters

U.S. Senators Bob Casey, D-Scranton, Mike Braun (R-IN), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, this week introduced bipartisan legislation to provide economic opportunities to small-scale, family foresters by allowing them to benefit from the sustainable, voluntary steps they are taking to manage their land.

Casey said family forest owners are often left out of the financial opportunities available to larger forests as companies look for ways to offset their environmental footprint.

The Rural Forest Markets Act will help smaller foresters overcome financial barriers to innovative marketplaces, create new forestry jobs, and incentivize private investment in the success of rural communities while improving the environment by supporting various carbon reduction efforts.

“Small family foresters have long been at the forefront of carbon reductions efforts,” Casey said. “They should be able to profit off of their conversation and sustainability efforts, just are larger-scale foresters do now. This Rural Forest Markets Act will help them maximize the carbon benefits of their forests while ensuring the health of Pennsylvania woodlands.”

“As a tree farmer myself, I know sustainable forest management represents both a win for conservationists and all Americans,” said Sen. Braun.

“Big or small, our forests are an important part of tackling the climate crisis,” said Chairwoman Stabenow.

Voluntary carbon markets enable companies, local governments, and other organizations to offset their carbon footprint by investing in large-scale environmental projects that remove or store a corresponding amount of carbon from the atmosphere.

For forest landowners, participating in carbon markets provides an opportunity to earn additional income while improving forest health and mitigating climate change. However, family forest landowners are often unable to enter the carbon marketplace due to high, upfront costs.

The Rural Forest Markets Act will create a program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to guarantee loans, bonds, or other investment vehicles for projects, such as the Family Forest Carbon Program, that assist private forest owners in overcoming financial and technical barriers in entering carbon markets.

Delaware Highlands Conservancy

winter 2024 Eagle Watch bus tours

The winter Eagle Watch program runs through January and February, weekends only.

Main monitoring areas are Mongaup Reservoir and the Delaware River at Minisink Falls and the Zane Grey boat launch at Lackawaxen.

On site, volunteers collect data on wintering eagles and resident pairs. They educate the public in “Eagle Etiquette” and on how to have the best eagle watching experience. Volunteers are also needed to help staff booths, do workshops, and participate in other eagle-related events.

Join the Conservancy on a guided eagle-viewing bus tour, scheduled on select weekends in January and February. Learn from an expert guide and take a scenic drive on a heated bus throughout the Upper Delaware River region to look for and learn about bald eagles and their habitat.

Seats on trips are limited and advance reservations are required, so reserve your space today for the following 2024 winter trips (Fee: $25 for Conservancy members, $35 for non-members; kids under 12 free). Get tickets online at DelawareHighlands.org/events or call 570-226-3164/845-583-1010.

Scheduled trips

• Jan. 6, Jan. 20, Jan. 27

• Feb. 3, Feb. 17, Feb. 24

The trips commence at the Conservancy’s Winter Field Office at the Zane Grey Museum in Lackawaxen, PA and run from 11am-3pm. Snow dates for the trips are the Sundays immediately following. Check DelawareHighlands.org for the most up-to-date information. Refunds are not provided in the event of cancelled reservations or no-shows.

The Upper Delaware River region is one of the largest wintering habitats for eagles in the northeast United States because of abundant clean water and large, undisturbed stands of trees.

Protected lands in Pike and Wayne Counties in Pennsylvania and Sullivan and Delaware Counties in New York provide a safe haven for these migratory birds, as well as breeding eagles that live here year-round.

The Delaware Highlands Conservancy works in partnership with landowners and communities to protect the natural heritage and quality of life of the Upper Delaware River region. For more information, call 570-226-3164/845-583-1010 or visit DelawareHighlands.org