Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, Inc.

06/10/2026

Yet another data center proposal for the region, and unfortunately like too many others, it is surrounded by dark clouds of drama and lack of transparency.

We are working on a new package updating info on these projects, what you should know and how you can make your voice heard. Stay tuned!

Muncy, Pa. — Hours before ordering a halt on any data center proposals, Muncy Township accepted a plan for one from a Williamsport-based company.

06/09/2026

Pennsylvania American Water has been approved to permanently buy Rock Spring Water Company — a change that’s expected to improve service for roughly 1,000 customers in rural Centre County and one that could increase their bills.

Water quality and availability has been at the core of the situation for quite some time. Check out details at this link:

Pennsylvania American and Rock Spring have three months to reach a deal and end a yearslong process to improve service for 1,000 people in rural Centre County.

06/08/2026

Fireflies are a summertime rite of passage in central PA, but their numbers are in decline. Sign up for the limited openings for one of these two nights (July 2 or 3) to learn about the firefly from PA Master Naturalist Jen Hunsinger with a short walk to experience them up close while learning more about how you can help this species!

In several weeks, join us for a special Firefly program at the Montour Preserve led by PA Master Naturalist Jen Hunsinger. We have two dates open (July 2 and 3), each with an extremely limited number of openings. Program will run from 8-9 p.m.

This is the perfect opportunity to learn all about this fascinating summertime insect that is facing a number of hurdles as a species and what you can do to help! Learn more about the program and register at the link below:

https://www.vernalschool.org/the-pool/firefly-walk-program-offered-with-limited-openings-at-8-pm-on-july-2-and-3-at-the-montour-preserve #/

06/04/2026

Thanks to the Bloomsburg Children's Museum for today's Homeschool Hangout along the Susquehanna River. We got to spend some time exploring the aquatic ecosystem and find quite a variety of species!

06/02/2026

Our super busy May chock full of school field trips wrapped up on Friday, topping off some cool stats in terms of outreach and education.

In total, over one month's worth of time, we served 1,200 students representing 10 different districts with an estimated 300 additional teachers, chaperones and other support staff taking in our Vernal School programming across a revised and expanded set of stations tied into new statewide STEELS standards.

To pull this off, we needed more volunteer help than ever, and greatly appreciate the support of longstanding partners such as the Montour Area Recreation Commission and Pennsylvania Master Naturalists among others. We had two dozen people donate their time to helping us man stations and provide the best possible programming that hopefully inspires a lifelong effort toward stewardship.

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have a growing number of summer field trips being planned and are working on efforts to support schools starting in the fall with field trip opportunities that support in-class STEELS learning in new, exciting ways.

However, this effort requires quite a bit of resources ... equipment needs refurbished or replaced, additional volunteer recruitment is vital and intentional engagement with standards requires extra work and attention to detail so students get the most out of every visit.

Please help us continue to engage and inspire more people of all ages with an online donation directly to the Vernal School: https://donorbox.org/vernal-school-donations

05/31/2026

As we approach our popular HERYN fishing and kayaking day programs, we wanted to give a special shout out to longtime fishing instructor and association board treasurer Walt Bingaman on his birthday!

Thanks, Walt, for your patience, enthusiasm and heart for connecting kids of all backgrounds to our outdoor resources!

05/23/2026

Looking for something fun to offset a cool, rainy day? Take a stab at the new Vernal School weekly Nature Center Trivia contest by answering the question below and possibly win some cool prizes!!

To brighten this rainy Saturday afternoon, we wanted to kick off a fun new weekly game related to our numerous field trips that have visited the Montour Preserve for programming this month.

One of our popular stations is a scavenger hunt for cool nature-related facts in the Visitor Center. We wanted to share the fun with our online learners, too.

So each weekend, our goal is to drop a different trivia question found in our Visitor Center that you can't easily find via a Google search but instead come stop in and check out our cool displays.

This week, to kick it off, our question includes a shout out to Marissa Crames for updating the color bird ID chart that runs along the observation window looking out into our bird feeders and pond.

The question: Which two woodpecker species specifically are included on the bird ID chart that runs along the bottom of the observation window?

Those who guess both specific species correctly in the comments below or in an email to [email protected] by Saturday, May 30, will be entered into a drawing for some cool Vernal School prizes, including one of our T-shirts and tickets to one of our Floating Classrooms aboard the Hiawatha in Williamsport this summer.

05/21/2026

You don't want to miss getting a copy of our new 287-page paperback titled "Stream Studies: Research, Stories and Lessons from the Susquehanna River for Students of All Ages"

It features more than 60 locally written stories about people, research and key topics about our local river basin on a wide variety of topics, including numerous stories on invasive species in the region, PFAS (forever chemicals), pharmaceuticals, microplastics, abandoned mine drainage (AMD), salinity and mercury concerns, species overviews on groups like ducks and other waterfowl, bats, hellbenders and work being done to better protect them within the watershed, aquatic mammals and much more.

Stories include review questions and the book includes some hands-on experiment suggestions to better understand some of the key topics.

It is a perfect option for homeschool families looking for a locally based environmental or science curriculum, something to augment what is being learned in school or really for anyone wanting to know more about the river and the creatures that depend on it.

All for just $15 if picking up in person or $20 shipped to your home. Learn more and get your copy here:

A new 287-page paperback book titled "Stream Studies: Research, Stories and Lessons from the Susquehanna River for Students of All Ages" has officially been published and is available for purchase...

05/21/2026

Earlier this week, members from our every-other-month Nature Book Club met to review "An Immense World" by Ed Yong. It was the 36th nature-related book the club has discussed since it began.

As we prepare to soon head into the summer months, and knowing that many people love a good summer reading list (to pull from for vacations or other book-reading opportunities), we'd love to hear what your favorite nature-related book is and why?

Our regular attendees are working on their favorite books from those reviewed and we will share them soon, but until then, we want to know your top choices. Share them below or via email to [email protected] and we'll release a composite list soon.

Check out more about our Nature Book Club, including a full list of books that have been read and discussed, and consider joining us for the next meeting on Monday, July 27, as the group reviews Bicycling with Butterflies: My 10,201 Mile Journey following the Monarch Migration by Sara Dykman

https://704793421231683971.weebly.com/nature-book-club.html