Add the Extraordinary River Party to your Calendar —

Check out the Canoemobile Fun!

Enjoy a look back at this fun and transformative riverfront experience.

Fifth grade students from Lancaster and York counties paddled the Susquehanna in 24 foot Voyageur canoes, and participated in field studies, learning about the science, history, geography, and culture in their home towns on October 3-5. Susquehanna Heritage hosted the local school districts at Columbia Crossing River Trails Cents. The National Park Service, National Parks Conservation Association, Pennsylvania State Parks, and Susquehanna Heritage came together to offer the “Canoemobile” program from the Minnesota-based organization, Wilderness Inquiry. Wilderness Inquiry is a non-profit organization that connects people to the natural world through shared outdoor experiences. Susquehanna Heritage and our partners offered educational land stations to complement the paddle excursions. Students learned about Native American dugout canoes and the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. They learned about water runoff and pollution through a hands-on watershed model. Thanks to DCNR Ranger Curtis Sherwood, students met fresh water eels and learned about their relationship with fresh water mussels.  A homeschool session was held on Thursday. On Friday afternoon, the public was invited to canoe with Wilderness Inquiry. The river’s current was swift and water levels remained high throughout the week. As a result, some groups were unable to paddle at Columbia. Wilderness Inquiry did transfer the canoes to Lock 2 along Long Level when it was possible. Students, teachers, families, and visitors greatly enjoyed the field trip and excursion.

You all really made a difference in the life of our children. We are a Title I building, and many of our children would never have had this wonderful experience. We appreciate it so much!

— Principal, Friendship Elementary

Water Quality Analyzed by

Local Homeschool Students

In early 2018, Susquehanna Heritage applied to the Lancaster Sierra Club grant program. The program supports the club’s mission to enjoy and explore the outdoors while protecting our natural resources. The Club members support conservation and preservation efforts in Lancaster County and also enjoys group outings like camping, hiking and biking. Our mission at Susquehanna Heritage parallels the Sierra Club as we seek to responsibly utilize our natural landscape and historic site to encourage visitation and economic development in the river corridor. In particular, our missions overlap related to the health of the Susquehanna River – the main contributor to the Chesapeake Bay. It is essential that our communities understand their impact on the river and the bay, and how to diminish that impact. 

Susquehanna Heritage has hosted numerous programs related to the health of the river but was in need of water quality testing kit that measure physical and chemical indicators including pH, phosphates, nitrates, temperature, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity and turbidity.  This kit would improve programs by allowing us to scientifically investigate the health of the river. Our goal was to explore the cultural history, ecology and current status and health of the Susquehanna River and its watershed by providing hands-on activities that get participants to test the water quality of the river through scientific instrumentation. Susquehanna Heritage is thankful that the Lancaster Sierra Club accepted our grant request!

In October, Program Coordinator Allison Scholz and Chesapeake Conservation Corps Member Amy Kochel welcomed a large group of home school families to a Water Quality Workshop. Participants looked for physical, chemical, and biological indicators in our waterways. Students collected data using the kit and analyzed the results to better understand the health of the river. Additionally, the group hiked to a local storm water outfall to collect data. The storm water, which was from downtown Columbia, helped students to understand what kinds of pollutants may be traveling from residents to the river. In the end, students and parents clearly understood why clean, healthy water is essential to wildlife, plants, and humans.

Susquehanna Heritage thanks the Lancaster Sierra Club for supporting our programs by supplying this water quality kit. More programs for scout groups, clubs, and the general public will be available in the future.

Susquehanna Heritage is participating in the Extraordinary Give — Lancaster County’s Largest Online Giving Day!

On Friday, November 16, you will have just 24 hours to donate to Susquehanna Heritage. The more donations Susquehanna Heritage receives, the farther it’s stretched. This year the stretch pool totals over $500,000. It’s a great opportunity for every dollar you donation make an extra impact on the river. Please help us to spread the word about the ExtraGive on Friday, November 16^th! Remember the Extraordinary Give is entirely ONLINE so the best way to share is online and via email! Maybe you can’t wait for the new boat tours on the river, you love our educational programs, or you just like to ride the trails — we’re counting on your to spread your love for the river and inspire others to give.

So spread the word and save the date! Friday, November 16th is the day to donate online to Susquehanna Heritage.

Join us at Our River Party!

Susquehanna Heritage will once again host our Extraordinary River Party from 4 PM to 8 PM on ExtraGive Day at Columbia Crossing! This is our opportunity to invite all the friends of the river to Eat, Drink & Give! Join us to enjoy live music from the Dreadnought Brigade Duo who will be serving up ‘feel good’ tunes of blues, rock, and folk. Scrumptious appetizers, beer, wine, and B(ike)YO wine slushies will make it a true cocktail hour. Giving stations throughout the party will help us build funds for the river! Let’s celebrate the river together!

Minimum donation of $25 required by ExtraGive.org. Questions about the ExtraGive? Call Hope at 717-449-5607 ext 1.

National Heritage Area Update

In June 2017, U.S. Representative Lloyd Smucker, with U.S. Representative Scott Perry and U.S. Representative Pat Meehan introduced H.R. 2991 in the U.S. House of Representatives to establish the Susquehanna National Heritage Area. On June 5th, 2018 the U.S. House of Representatives approved Congressman Lloyd Smucker’s bill to designate Lancaster and York Counties as the Susquehanna National Heritage Area. You can read about it and watch video of House proceedings on the bill here. This is a key milestone on the way to bringing this national honor to our region. Thank you Congressman Smucker and the U.S. House of Representatives for recognizing the national significance of our area and passing this legislation.

Help support our efforts to become a National Heritage Area by expressing your support and asking U.S. Senator Bob Casey & U.S. Senator Pat Toomey to support congressional designation of the Susquehanna National Heritage Area!

Contact U.S. Senator Bob Casey

Contact U.S. Senator Pat Toomey

Learn more here about our National Heritage Area Initiative.

National Heritage Area Bill Advances

On April 11th, 2018 Susquehanna Heritage President Mark Platts joined Congressman Lloyd Smucker and Columbia Mayor Leo Lutz at the U.S. House Federal Lands Subcommittee hearing on H.R. 2991, the Susquehanna National Heritage Act. This bill sponsored by Rep. Smucker will designate all of Lancaster and York Counties as America’s 50th National Heritage Area with Susquehanna Heritage as the Local Coordinating Entity. Congressman Smucker and Mayor Lutz testified in support of the bill. Read the Mayor’s testimony here and watch the hearing here (H.R. 2991 runs from 1:01:03 to 1:21:28.)   We very much appreciate Congressman Smucker’s leadership with this effort, along with the great support we’ve received from so many community groups and elected officials like Mayor Lutz. HR 2991 was recently marked up and reported out of the House Natural Resources Committee and now awaits a vote by the full U.S. House of Representatives. Learn more about our National Heritage Area initiative here.

Community Yoga Every Sunday in April

Stars Over The Susquehanna

April 20, 2018

 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Celebrating 125 years of Doc Hinkle’s Egg Dye

Rain Garden Clean-up & Planting

Spring is a time for dusting off and cleaning up. Well, our riverfront rain garden could certainly use some TLC after the long winter. Drop by the Zimmerman Center for Heritage on Sunday, March 25th, enjoy the spring air and exercise your green thumb at our rain garden clean-up and planting. Grab a hot dog from the grill and burn off the calories while getting to know native rain garden plants first-hand. Then return this Summer to enjoy the results of your efforts! Bring your boots, gloves, and clippers; extra gloves and clippers will be available. All ages are welcome from 12 PM to 3 PM.

Donor Spotlight – Ann B. Barshinger

 
Ann B. Barshinger, a generous philanthropist in both Lancaster and York Counties, has shared her love for the river. Her recent donation to Susquehanna Heritage will support river history, art, and nature programs for youth and families at the Zimmerman Center for Heritage, Columbia Crossing, and associated heritage and outdoor sites. These programs include our annual Every Kid in a Park and Canoemobile field trips for local school groups. 

We thank you, Ann!

Land & Water Shuttle Study Request For Proposal

Susquehanna Heritage seeks a consultant team to conduct a feasibility study for land and water shuttle services in the River Towns and Lake Clarke areas of the Susquehanna River corridor through Lancaster and York Counties in Pennsylvania. The primary purpose of the study is to assess the financial and operational feasibility of transporting visitors between the Zimmerman Center and Columbia Crossing through a seasonal land and water shuttle service with on-board interpretive programs. This new service is intended to improve visitor readiness, expand visitor programs, and build visitation from outside the region.

The Land & Water Shuttle Study will complement an Interpretive Master Plan for the Zimmerman Center, Columbia Crossing, and Native Lands County Park, which is currently underway. The consultant team selected for the Land and Water Shuttle Study is expected to coordinate with the Interpretive Master Plan consultant to ensure that proposed interpretive programs are compatible with and can be offered aboard the proposed shuttle services.

Land & Water Shuttle Study RFP

CAJO Land-Water Shuttle Study RFP – Rev. 1-18