Watershed Meeting Last Night.

Last night I went to my first ever watershed meeting. It's the Rose Valley/Mill Creek Watershed Association. I gotta say, I found it pretty fun. There was a dinner and a special speaker from the PA Fish and Boat Commission. It was nice considering their goals met up with what I would like to do to the lake and creek. They really got my attention when they mentioned they would like to reduce the sediment in Mill Creek, and eventually turn it into a wild trout stream. Currently they stock brown and brook, but the brook trout have already been spawning there for quite some time. They also want to prevent a ton of development along the stream. It was funny though when they mentioned there was just about nothing but old people, and said "We need to get some younger people to join" and everybody turned and looked at me and my girlfriend. The people we've talked to basically think of me and her as the future of the organization, which is great. I'm going to try my best to get the point across that trout should stop being stocked and the future of the forage fishes like darters and sculpins are equally as important, if not more, than the game fish. If anybody around the central PA area would like to join I have plenty of information, and a few packets I could send you.

So is anyone else a member of something like this? Any suggestions for a watershed association that has just completed its first year?

I got in on a pond association but couldn't get past the folks who thought chemicals were the answer to everything, stocking exotics was OK, and "baitfish" are unimportant.

The pond in question has been in a steady state of decline for some time. I don't anticipate the situation improving as long as the same stubborn people continue to run things to the exclusion of other opinions on how to get things fixed.

Magnus,
These folks at Greystone Lake in north Raleigh seem to have a bit more ecological understanding than some; might be helpful in enlightening your pond assoc, esp re not mowing the edge.
http://www.greystone...perspective.htm

Of course ponds in our area are totally unnatural anyway, and very few of our native Piedmont stream fish can survive long term in a pond. Stocking game fish in residential ponds is OK by me if it gets kids interested in fish at all. I still get get a kick watching bluegills and green sunnies follow me along the edge of a pond. Pickerel, bluespots, and darters just wont do that.

Tar River Land Conservancy is a young org worthy of your volunteer time: www.tarriver.org
The last strong-hold for Carolina madtom and several other rare fish & inverts, much like the Eno.

Gerald

I got in on a pond association but couldn't get past the folks who thought chemicals were the answer to everything, stocking exotics was OK, and "baitfish" are unimportant.

The pond in question has been in a steady state of decline for some time. I don't anticipate the situation improving as long as the same stubborn people continue to run things to the exclusion of other opinions on how to get things fixed.

Gerald,

The pond assoc. in question is back in PA, a state which I've hopefully left behind for the last time (not because I dislike PA but because I love NC!)

Have you had any experience with http://www.neuseriverkeepers.org/ ? If you'd rather PM me about that, that's fine, too. Since that's practically right in my back yard, I was thinking of getting more involved with those guys.

No personal involvement with Riverkeepers but they definitely have an activist, public-involvement oriented attitude that i like (as long as its tempered with sense and science). BTW if you need blackworms come to the RAS mtg tonight 730 at NCSU Vet School ive got a couple extra 1/2 lb bags.

Gerald,

The pond assoc. in question is back in PA, a state which I've hopefully left behind for the last time (not because I dislike PA but because I love NC!)

Have you had any experience with http://www.neuseriverkeepers.org/ ? If you'd rather PM me about that, that's fine, too. Since that's practically right in my back yard, I was thinking of getting more involved with those guys.