Susquehannock Wildlife Society (SWS) was busy this fall creating and implementing an exciting series of programs aimed at educating the public about wildlife native to Harford County, while attracting visitors and participants to experience and appreciate the incredible diversity of species and habitats that are found here and are worth protecting. Thanks to the award of a generous tourism grant from the Harford County Office of Economic Development this summer, SWS has been able to fund a portion of its operations and programs. This includes bringing on its first executive director – former president and co-founder Scott McDaniel – on a part-time basis to focus on growth of the organization through marketing, events, educational outreach, as well as continued renovations of the Susquehannock Wildlife Center, which is under construction. Aimed at creating a unique experience where the public can gain a better understanding of its own wildlife and local landscapes, the following programs were announced and implemented with great success during the past three months:
Deer Creek Snorkeling
With expert guide Keith Williams at the helm, SWS and members of the community embarked on a quest to explore this state-designated scenic river as few have ever seen it. Deer Creek flows more than 50 miles before it reaches the Susquehanna River and its watershed covers 38 percent of Harford County’s land area; running through a mostly forested and agricultural landscape that also includes portions of York and Baltimore Counties. Despite a number of human disturbances that have added sedimentation to areas of the creek, in many places Deer Creek is still pristine. Because of that, the creek is home to a wide diversity of wildlife. But not all species have been able to withstand the changes. The endangered Maryland Darter, a fish found nowhere else in the world except for Deer Creek, may now be extinct. The goal of this program was to enter the seldom-seen world of tranquility below the riffles and discover that, even though perhaps no longer home to the Maryland Darter, these life-giving waters remain incredible habitat for many other beautiful and important species of local fish. Many of the species encountered during the snorkel were captured on underwater camera and, via a video produced by SWS, can now be shared with those who were unable to attend the program.
Movies in the Wild
From the earliest vision of its wildlife center, SWS sought to incorporate an outdoor movie amphitheater, where the community could come together for enjoyable and educational nights outside watching original SWS productions as well as other quality documentary nature films. Thanks to the assistance of funding from the Harford County tourism grant, the necessary projection and sound equipment was purchased to proceed with these exciting programs. The completion of an Eagle Scout project provided rows of bench seating to accommodate guests on the hillside next to the wildlife center building and helped create a unique, family-friendly experience unlike any other in the region.
To top it off, SWS received permission from Marty Stouffer, narrator and producer of the PBS series “Wild America,” to present his award-winning nature programs to the community during these events. With this exciting content available, two events were announced to the public; each showing three episodes of “Wild America” handpicked for a cohesive theme.
The final showing of 2016 introduced a successful Halloween theme for its episodes and incorporated a costume contest for children, which brought families out into the wild with SWS to learn about species often misunderstood due to their nocturnal nature – bats, owls, and coyotes. The outdoor movie series will pick back up when the weather warms in spring of 2017.
Broad Creek Fall Colors Paddling Trip
In late October, the blue skies, glowing leaves, and delightfully warm air contributed to a well-attended and successful autumn foliage paddle on Broad Creek. SWS led a fantastic crew of wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, and folks just looking for a relaxing day on the water, with participants coming from Pennsylvania, Baltimore, Cecil, and Harford County. The highlights of the trip including spotting four native turtle species – including the Maryland state endangered northern map turtle, a bald eagle, belted kingfisher, and perhaps most exciting, an eastern screech owl hiding in a tree cavity! SWS will resume its paddling programs and events in the spring.
#OptOutside Black Friday Hike & Campfire
SWS follows the movement of outdoor recreation company REI to #OptOutside each year on Black Friday to emphasize the importance of getting outside in nature, rather than standing in line shopping. This year, SWS welcomed an enthusiastic crowd of visitors to the site of the wildlife center (not yet open to the public) in Darlington just before sunset to hike a loop around the property, see the future location of its stargazing/wildlife viewing platform, and then settle in around the campfire to warm up. While enjoying hot cocoa and s’mores around the fire, visitors listen to owl calls and discussed future plans for the wildlife center, including lessons on native wildlife, as well as kicking off a new fundraising campaign to raise money for the construction of the stargazing/wildlife viewing platform. CLICK HERE for more information about the fundraiser.
CLICK HERE for more information about the fundraiser.
SWS is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting local wildlife through education, rescue, conservation, and research. Donations to help its work and ensure the stargazing platform becomes a reality are welcomed and encouraged! www.susquehannockwildlife.org
