The Susquehanna
Rivers offer the perfect framework for a storyteller. They provide a beginning and an end with an obvious flow from one to the other. They neatly link people and events in history. They serve as paths of discovery and arteries of commerce. Not only can rivers be counted on for moments of great drama, but the also invariably attract their share of eccentric characters. So it is with the Susquehanna.
This then is the Susquehanna’s story. It also is the story of people who struggled mightily to transform the river into something nature never intended, often at a terrible price. Indeed, the history of the Susquehanna is one of repeated assaults–by humans and the river.
The early race to control the riches of the Susquehanna extracted a toll. Canal builders diverted water and erected obstacles that impeded those who once traveled the river freely. Waves of loggers and miners laid bare the hillsides and opened veins of coal. The river retaliated with rampaging floods, but ultimately descended into squalor, choked with filth from the towns and industries that grew along its banks.
Today’s problems appear more subtle, but nevertheless pose daunting challenges to the Susquehanna. Even such a seemingly benign neighbor as farming has inflicted serious harm. Experts are only beginning to understand the mysterious synergies that operate in the fragile ecosystem dominated by the Susquehanna.
One thing has become obvious, however. The focus of responsibility has shifted. No longer is it a simple matter of pointing to someone else and affixing blame. Rather, the mundane daily decisions made by all who live within its vast watershed will determine the future of this beautiful river.
Susan Stranahan
Susquehanna, River of Dreams
Used with permission
Initiatives
RiverStewards is comprised of two parts that work together to advance the protection and understanding of the Susquehanna River: RiverStewards Collaborative, which is the nonprofit arm and RiverStewards Benefit Corporation, which is the for-profit side that will generate profits to fund the work of the Collaborative. To learn more about the organization as a whole, click here.
RiverStewards Collaborative Initiatives
One Water Planning Process White Paper for Spring Creek Watershed – This white paper describes what the One Water concept entails, provide a case study of the process from the Spring Creek watershed in Centre County, Pennsylvania, and provide guidance on how other municipalities in Pennsylvania and beyond can use the experiences from Spring Creek to shape their own One Water planning process. While each One Water process is unique and should be tailored to the individual conditions, stakeholders, challenges, and opportunities within a given watershed, this is a great starting point for those new to the concept or those who have considered it in the past and are looking for a new reason to give it a try. Download white paper here.
River Economic Curation – This involves tracking the total economic benefits generated because of the Susquehanna River and providing that data and analyses to other interested parties to provide support for continued protection and restoration of the watershed and the greater Chesapeake Bay. Learn more here.
Data Repository – As much data as possible (from colleges, government agencies, nonprofits) on the health of the Susquehanna River and the plants and animals that call it home will be contained in a centralized, publicly-accessible database so that all stakeholders will have access to the same beneficial data resources. This will reduce duplication of effort, encourage collaboration, and identify data gaps that can then be filled. Learn more here.
Research & Education – RiverStewards will enhance what we know and appreciate about the Susquehanna River through a variety of education, research, and outreach efforts, such as:
RiverStewards Benefit Corporation Initiatives
Product Commercialization – This involves finding inventions created at higher education institutions that benefit water quality/quantity in some way, purchasing the intellectual property rights to them, and then scaling them up for sale in the public market. Because of the nature of this endeavor, we cannot go into too many specifics until the products are patented, but generally these inventions will benefit farmers, municipalities dealing with stormwater issues, and others trying to restore river and stream systems.
Investment Funding Advisory Services – Through our partnership with the Social Enterprise Institute @ Elizabethtown College (SEI), this involves helping organizations find funding for solutions to their water quality/quantity challenges through family foundation support, revenue participation notes, and other investment strategies.
Collaborative Process Management – This involves helping municipalities and other organizations make collective impact toward water quality/quantity challenges through facilitated charrette and other services. RiverStewards will provide consulting services to organizations wishing to work together to be more effective than they would be working alone. Examples include:
RiverStewards' Blog
Click here for a list of the twenty most recent blog posts.
View from the River
Exploring
To help educate individuals, companies and organizations on the River and its contribution to ecological services, the economy and recreational opportunities, RiverStewards conducts custom guided tours of various parts of the river and tributaries.
These tours are led by RiverStewards’ founder Mark Gutshall, a Pennsylvania licensed river guide and professional wetland scientist (PWS). Tour itineraries are developed based upon client interests, be they the river’s ecological systems, the river’s economic contributions or simply a morning of fly or spin-reel fishing.
RiverStewards specializes in acquainting those unfamiliar with the river with its opportunities for learning and recreation. For example:
- Student’s studying environmental sciences,
- Companies interested in learning about sustainable development,
- Organizations desiring to learn more about river health and connected ecological systems
These are but a few of the groups which could benefit from a custom RiverStewards tour.
Tours will be conducted by 18′ jet boat, kayaks and/or wading depending on the interests and preferences of the clients.
Links
RiverStewards is a collective impact organization that involves myriad partners from state and municipal government, academia, the business community, and the nonprofit sector. The following are links some of our many partners’ websites to learn more about who they are and what they do.
Chesapeake Bay Commission – The Chesapeake Bay Commission is a policy leader in the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. As a tri-state legislative assembly representing Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, the Commission’s leadership covers a full spectrum of Bay issues: from managing living resources and conserving land, to protecting water quality.
Collective Impact Forum – Collective impact brings people together, in a structured way, to achieve social change. This website provides a wealth of information, upcoming webinars, and other resources to break from your job silos to work collaboratively.
Envision the Susquehanna – This collaborative effort of nearly 40 organizations encourages individuals, community leaders, and organizations to describe their vision for the Susquehanna River watershed. Through a report that can be found on the site, you can read the results of the initial planning process and learn of their vision for the future of the Susquehanna River.
Lower Susquehanna RiverKeeper – This nonprofit organization protects, inproves, and preserves the health of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed, from the confluence of the West and North branches south to the Chesapeake Bay. On this site you can contact the RiverKeeper to report pollution or other issue on the river, and stay up-to-date on the health of the Susquehanna.
Middle Susquehanna RiverKeeper – This nonprofit organization is dedicated to protecting, improving, and preserving the health of the Middle Susquehanna River Watershed, starting at the confluence of the West and North branches and continuing to the headwaters of the West Branch and to just south of the New York border on the North Branch. On this site you can contact the RiverKeeper to report pollution or other issue on the river, and stay up-to-date on the health of the Susquehanna.
PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources – This state agency manages all state parks and state forests, as well as gives grants to support local parks and conservation work. This includes protection and promotion of the state’s river and stream systems.
PA Department of Environmental Protection – This state agency monitors and helps to protect Pennsylvania’s water quality and quantity through various means, including working closely with the agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and other industries to minimize impacts to the commonwealth’s water bodies.
PA Fish and Boat Commission – This state agency monitors and manages fish populations across the state, as well as handles fishing and boating licenses.
Social Enterprise Institute at Elizabethtown College – This entity brings together faculty members, industry fellows of the Institute, and students, to collaborate on social enterprise development initiatives that create sustainable social and economic value both domestically and internationally. They do this by building upon a deep respect for the talent, passion, and dedication of those who have devoted their lives to working for the common good.
Susquehanna Greenway Partnership – The Susquehanna Greenway links natural, cultural, historic, and recreational resources along the 500-mile corridor of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. The Partnership is a basin-wide organization for resource management and community conservation – factors of lasting importance to the economies and quality of life of river communities.
Susquehanna Heartland Coalition for Environmental Studies – This effort of Lycoming College is a unique collaboration of professors and students working together to advance issues relevant to the protection of the Susquehanna River. Learn about their projects and upcoming endeavors here.
Susquehanna Heritage – Susquehanna Heritage is a regional non-profit and Pennsylvania Heritage Area collaborating with local, state, and national partners to connect people to the Susquehanna River and its history. Their work focuses on the Susquehanna Riverlands – the ribbon of scenic and historic landscapes and communities along both shores of the river as it flows through Lancaster and York Counties in South Central Pennsylvania.
Susquehanna River Basin Commission – This agency coordinates the water resources efforts of the three states within the Susquehanna River watershed/basin and the federal government. Its mission is to enhance public welfare through comprehensive planning, water supply allocation, and management of the water resources of the watershed.
Susquehanna River Story – This interactive, multimedia website teaches visitors about adverse human impacts on the East Coast’s longest river, the Susquehanna, and its tributaries. The Susquehanna River Story website uses GIS maps, videos, charts, and photos to show where mining, agriculture, stormwater, and dams have impacted animal and plant life, and show the state government’s efforts in addressing these issues.
Susquehanna River Symposium – This event at Bucknell University has connected scientists and engineers from throughout the Susquehanna River region to focus on issues regarding the watershed since 2006.
About
RiverStewards
Who We Are
RiverStewards is a consortium of educational institutions, private sector companies, non-profit organizations, communities, government agencies and individuals working to conserve one of our most significant ecological, economic and recreational resources in central Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna River.
What We Do
RiverStewards achieves its conservation goals by convening the institutional, scientific and economic resources necessary to solve specific problems that affect the health of the Susquehanna River. Our operating process is to identify a problem then bring together those who can be a part of the solution.
At the core of the RiverStewards concept is that no one sector can, on its own, solve the myriad challenges facing the River. It will take concerted, coordinated efforts by all that have a stake in the River to assure its future health.
To help educate individuals and organizations on the River and its contributions to ecological services, the economy, and recreational opportunities, RiverStewards has numerous initiatives, which can be found here.
In addition, RiverStewards’ founder and licensed river guide Mark Gutshall conducts custom guided tours of various parts of the River. These tours are led by RiverStewards’ founder Mark Gutshall, a licensed river guide. Tour itineraries are developed based upon client interests, be they the River’s ecological systems, the River’s economic contributions or simply a morning of fly or spin-reel fishing.Learn More
RiverStewards’ intention is to gather input from subject matter experts on many topics. We will provide references so the reader can independently research further based on their interest level.
As a start, we recommend a great work by Susan Q. Stranahan, “Susquehanna, River of Dreams.” This book was a catalyst for the founding of RiverStewards.
In doing our work, RiverStewards will follow the following principles:
- Gain an understanding of functional natural systems through professional observations.
- Apply science through empirical data collection and processing.
- Draw conclusions based upon objective, verifiable data.
RiverStewards will use the social change model as an essential component of our business model, linking to our mission and vision. The social change model differentiates us as a social enterprise rather than a commercial business. To learn about the components of the social change model, click here.
To download an overview of RiverStewards’ mission, click here.
RiverStewards is composed of two separate organizations that work in concert with one another – RiverStewards Collaborative, a non-profit, and RiverStewards Benefit Corporation, which funds the work of the non-profit. To learn more about these two entities, click here.
Mark Gutshall
Founder
Mark Gutshall is the Founder and Chair of the RiverStewards Benefit Corporation. He is a professional wetland scientist (PWS), a licensed Pennsylvania charter boat/fishing guide (permit #767) and founder and vice president of LandStudies, Inc. a recognized leader in the field of environmental restoration and land planning. He has more than 33 years’ professional experience in designing, permitting, and constructing ecological restoration projects in the mid‐Atlantic region. During that time, he also founded Octoraro Native Plant Nursery, a wholesale source of native woody plants (1990).
Background
His diverse professional background emphasizes land stewardship and community‐based planning, which he has applied to numerous projects in watershed planning, open space planning, stream corridor restoration, flood reduction and stormwater management, habitat improvement, and wetland creation.
Mark researches and advocates pioneering land management techniques that are functional, cost effective, and environmentally beneficial. He has been a leading voice in the acceptance of “legacy sediments” along stream corridors as a major contributor of sediment and nutrient pollution in waterways throughout Pennsylvania.
Regional Approach
He also has been a groundbreaker in adopting regional or watershed‐wide natural resource management as an effective way to create partnerships among private, public, regulatory, non‐profit, and educational interests. Both he and LandStudies have earned accolades for his innovative approaches to natural resource management and land planning.
Professional Affiliations
A few of Mark’s appointments and professional affiliations include:
- Pennsylvania Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force – Governor Appointee
- Lancaster County Clean Water Consortium Steering Committee;
- Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR) Board Member;
- Pennsylvania Natural Resource Leadership Institute (NRLI) Advisory Committee;
- Lancaster County Water Week Advisory Committee
Mark is a featured speaker and author of numerous publications. One of his most recent publications is “Economic EcologyTM”.
Jessica Aiello
Scott Weidner is the executive director of the RiverStewards Collaborative, the nonprofit arm of the RiverStewards initiative.