The 112 mile, 7 day canoe and kayak trip was started by a few kayakers 19 years ago, and is now organized by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area. We kayaked from June 3rd to June 9th, and camped in parks and green spaces along the way! With the support of the Schuylkill Action Network, I had the opportunity to kayak the trip as the Sojourn Steward, a volunteer position focused on linking recreation with stewardship, citizen science, and education. I am from Berks County, PA, and growing up exploring the Schuylkill River (and tubing down the Brandywine!) piqued my interest in pursuing a career in conservation.
With help from staff members and local volunteers, the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove restored a portion the riparian buffer at Riverfront Park in Norristown recently. Staff and volunteers planted more than 60 native plants along the bank of the Schuylkill River at Riverfront Park. This was possible due to a partnership with Municipality of Norristown and funding from the William Penn Foundation.
Sarah Chudnovsky of Shillington, Pennsylvania spent a week testing water in the Schuylkill River as part of the Schuylkill River Sojourn in June. More than 200 people paddled up to 112 miles during the Schuylkill River Sojourn, which spans from Schuylkill Haven to Philadelphia. Chudnovsky’s journey was possible thanks to the Schuylkill Action Network, which provided her with equipment and a scholarship for this, its Sojourn Steward program. The SAN has put Chudnovsky’s discoveries to use by uploading them to the GLOBE program. This will allow users around the world to compare her data with their own and those of others.