Lancaster Water Week 2024 Photos by Michelle Johnsen Photography
The eighth annual Lancaster Water Week was an exciting celebration of our streams and rivers and the steps we can take to foster healthy waterways. The week included over 60 events like a First Friday celebration and public art installation in downtown Lancaster, wetland tours at Long’s Park, paddles on the Conestoga and Susquehanna rivers, trivia, live music, creek stomps, educational hikes and bike trips, tours of restoration and rewilding efforts, volunteer cleanups, and more.
“Water Week 2024 was a true celebration of our 1,400 miles of streams and rivers running through Lancaster County. This week energized the clean water movement by reminding us that the effort to clean up our waterways requires everyone to play a part. Seeing our community come together to sponsor, host, and participate in over 60 water-themed events was an amazing step in this effort. I am humbled and overjoyed by the thousands of folks from Lancaster County and beyond who chose to take a stand for clean water by learning about our cricks and creeks, exploring life in, on, and around the water, and tangibly protecting our waterways this week,” said Lancaster Conservancy Community Event Coordinator Kelly Slippey.
“It’s amazing to see this event grow each year, and I’m so very grateful to our many partners who have helped us reach thousands of people each year,” said Conservancy President & CEO Fritz Schroeder.
The theme of Water Week 2024 was Rewilding for Clean Water, recognizing that what we do on land can help protect the health of our streams and rivers. Rewilding focuses on conserving, restoring, expanding, and connecting natural spaces, which help filter runoff and protect our waterways. Replacing lawn with native trees, shrubs, and flowers or planting forested buffers along streams at farms or corporate campuses are some examples of rewilding.
To support rewilding in our community, Lancaster Conservancy, together with the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, gave away 1,500 free native trees and shrubs during Water Week. Additionally, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation gave away approximately 900 pollinator plugs, and the Conservancy distributed countless packets of native wildflower seeds. These plants all help support healthy streams while also providing food and shelter for wildlife.
“This year’s theme, Rewilding for Clean Water, has a universal impact. Every native plant that goes in the ground contributes to a better Lancaster County, supporting a web of life that includes our streams and rivers,” said Fritz.
Project Clean Communities Swarr Run site (Photo courtesy of Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay)
Planting trees is one way to get your hands dirty for clean water, but during Water Week, folks also participated in Project Clean Communities volunteer cleanups, coordinated by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and other partners. Over 100 volunteers collected more than 7,300 pounds of trash including 102 tires and four chairs, keeping this debris from entering our waterways or flowing even further downstream.
It is thanks to our community that Water Week continues to be a success year after year. Whether you participated in a Water Week program, took home a native tree to plant, hosted an event, purchased a Water Week beer (Shout out to the amazing brewers Pour Man’s Brewing Company and Our Town Brewery! A portion of sales from each Water Week beer support clean water efforts.), or supported Water Week as a sponsor, this invigorating celebration of our streams and rivers would not be possible without you. Thank you!
THANK YOU, WATER WEEK SPONSORS
