So, in a nutshell, "riparian corridors" (stream corridors) is the land that sits on either side of a stream, whether it flows intermittently or steadily through the year. The best minds think that at least fifty feet on either side of the stream or river should be protected from certain kinds of land use to protect the health of the stream, to reduce flooding, and to ultimately protect water quality.
This picture shows one side of the stream corridor. At the point in the corridor where the camera sits, the land should be protected all the way up to that line of trees. Further down, where the trees are closer to the water, the land should be protected well past the trees.
The point of stream protection is logical: the less destructive activity occurs next to a stream, the less erosion, run-off, and pollution will occur.
Stream corridor protection is a relatively new idea, and reflects a more advanced theory of streams. Instead of just protecting wetlands, or not pumping pollutants directly into streams, science now recognizes that stream health depends upon the stream system: the way the land changes from forest, yard, or road to stream, the amount and location of vegetation, the types of run-off, the types of sediments, etc.
So - I'm trying to not make this too boring for you all, but I absolutely love it. Each county in New York and Pennsylvania (and others, too, I'm sure) has what is called a "Soil and Water Conservation District." Check out this one. I've been working with a coalition of S&W Districts that border the upper Susquehanna River, which is the only river in New York State that is part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The coalition is called the Upper Susquehanna Coalition (USC). My work for the year has two parts: I'm working with the coalition to document various methods of riparian protection around the country so that the director can approach politicians with a laundry list of ideas (I hope to write a paper focusing on one of the ideas he likes next semester); and I'm working with an individual S&W District to assist in riparian protection. The individual district I'm working with is Bradford County, which is the only PA county that touches the upper Susquehanna River (incidentally the county where my dad, his family and my sister Jenny live).
The work itself is wonderful. Last week I went to the Catskills and attended a meeting of all the agencies that deal with run-off. Then I went to Bradford County and toured various sites of stream work and a wonderful farm.
The family was old school Pennsylvania, and the farm was huge and wonderful. This guy and his wife run the farm so cleanly and successfully, that in two weeks, the governors of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania are going to come up and take a tour. The farmer (and his dad and his grandfather) have instituted a variety of conservation measures. Most recently, he doesn't till anymore - he says its more efficient (it takes one year to let the soil recuperate instead of three), and it results in almost no run-off (the time and money saved is massive, he reports).
The first field picture is alfalfa, one of the cover crops they put down for the winter. He just herbicides it off in the spring to get his first planting in, but other farmers who need the money more can wait until later, harvest it, and then get their first planting in a little bit later. He says that within a few months you won't be able to see between the rows at all.
The picture below that is very green is the same field.
The third field picture, which shows more bare ground, is a no-till rest field after one year of not planting on it. Where you can see scuff marks, he kicked at the ground and said that normally it takes three years to look like that.
So, what does this mean for me? I'm going to be working my tail off for a job, is what it means. I love this stuff. It all sank home for me on Thursday, and on Friday I met with my professor and asked him what I could do to do this work permanently. He responded so well and positively - he immediately said he would work with me to get funding to create a position for me with the districts, and maybe after that I could be entrenched and could stay there. He also brought it up with one of the best district managers within hours, and the district manager completely agreed - he thought it was necessary and about time that the districts had their own attorney.
So I am looking at funding and thinking about what this choice means. I would be the first attorney in the position and would have no mentors at all. I also would have to create the position and what that position means, as well as get the funding and sell it to the organization.
It's amazing, really. I'm blind to so much. We have so many opportunities around us, at any given moment, and all it takes is some imagination to see our options. Imagination, and, to a certain extent, a disregard of fear.
No comments:
Post a Comment