Upper Susquehanna Coalition

05/23/2026

Since September, 2025, we've worked with local schools and tribes to raise American eels for release this spring. The students learned all year about where eels are in the food web, what type of habitat they live in, and what they need to survive.
Ononda'geh Ongwawenna NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Did you know that American eels are:
💧Native to our waterways, and the only catadromous species found in North America,
💦Having a hard time getting to our area from the sea because of dams, and
🌳Will inhabit our water for up to 20+ years before returning to the sea?

05/21/2026

It was a great day to kick off the steward workday schedule!

With over 1,800 acres of new forest to steward we need a lot of hands to help out.

Stewards will be replanting, fixing tubes and stakes, mowing, and a whole host of other duties.

05/20/2026

Our Trees for Tributaries (T4T) Program is almost wrapped up for the season. Please contact your local SWCD to get involved. Through this program, volunteers and willing landowners are the backbone.

Trees for Tributaries provides:
🌳Trees and shrubs,
🐢 Tubes and stakes,
🐟Technical assistance to plan and implement your project!

T4T is ideal for smaller landowners with small project sizes (1 acre is the average project size)! If you have a stream, you are likely eligible to get involved. Find more information here: https://www.uppersusquehanna.org/usc-teams/buffer-team/trees-for-tributaries/

05/18/2026

Last week, we had the opportunity to show some of our funders around a few projects. The rainy day helped to see water conservation practices in action. Overall, these projects will:

💧Hold water on the land longer, decreasing downstream flooding,
🌳Add habitat for aquatic and terrestrial animals, and
🦅Reduce nutrients from polluting our waterways.

05/15/2026

Training is a big part of what we do around here! Our Watershed Forestry Team spent late winter and early spring brushing up on different aspects of forestry to provide better technical assistance to landowners across the watershed:

🍎Grafting workshop with Ort Family Farm to better understand our orchard partners and better assist interested landowners.

🐄Silvopasture training with to be able to help producers with shade, fodder, and shelter.

🌳Hemlock Woolly Adelgid monitoring with our partners at Finger Lakes PRISM so we can better identify this invasive pest.

Getting and keeping trees in the landscape helps to keep water clean!

Chenango County Soil and Water Conservation District Otsego Soil and Water Conservation District Tioga County Soil & Water Conservation District Chemung County Soil & Water Conservation District Broome County Soil and Water Conservation District Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District

05/15/2026

05/14/2026

What an incredible Eel Release Day! 🐍🌊

Students had the opportunity to release their American eels into the Chemung River after spending the school year learning about aquatic ecosystems, migration, conservation, and the importance of protecting our waterways.

A huge THANK YOU to all of our amazing partners, teachers, volunteers, and supporters who helped make this experience possible. Your dedication to environmental education and watershed conservation continues to make a lasting impact on our students and communities.

Special thanks to our participating schools, more than 70 conservation partners who contributed their time to this event, and media supporters for helping share this important story.

Check out WENY’s coverage and video from the event.

ELMIRA, NY (WENY) — Students from across the Twin Tiers and beyond gathered along the Chemung River in Elmira to release American eels they had spent months raising and studying.

04/24/2026

130 trees. One backyard. A healthier Susquehanna River.

Lori Ellis was losing her land to erosion—until the Broome County Soil & Water Conservation District stepped in. Now, her backyard is becoming a thriving forest buffer that protects her property and the downstream water quality.

Watch Lori’s story to see the impact of the "Trees for Tributaries" program!
As Lori says, "It’s a great thing to be a part of."

Contact the USC or your local District to get started on your own conservation journey.
Broome County Soil and Water Conservation District

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day! Although, that's every day around here.

It was another great time with Susquehanna River Basin Commission, Butternut Valley Alliance , Otsego Soil and Water Conservation District, and Morris Central School students, learning about stream invertebrates and riparian stewardship!

01/14/2026

Check out this wildlife habitat educator training opportunity hosted by Chemung CCE in February!

This experience is primarily geared toward adult 4-H/FFA club leaders, parents, and volunteers interested in natural resources and outdoor education trainings; teen leaders are also welcome to attend.NOTE: There is a registration fee of $30 which covers lunch and a physical copy of the textbook f...