Need YOUR action NOW to save E Brandywine access

[lestrout]

For more information on the fast moving situation to get the DHALO section of this fine, scenic creek back to where it was, refer below to this very recent thread for the update.

http://www.paflyfish.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=2383&forum=2

To get the officials and politicians properly informed and motivated, we (and the Brandywine) need for you, your family, friends, co-workers and anyone else who has an interest in helping with the Struble Trail initiative to take a very few minutes to express it.

Please, PLEASE, puh-leeze use the electronic signing in the website to add your name to the petition. Do this before next Friday, since the Rally below will be the next day.

Below is text from the flyer about the Rally - it would be great if you can attend.

tl
les

FRIENDS
ofthe 5TRUB LE

DON'T FENCE US OUT!
LET'S SEND THE STRUBLE OVER THE SLOPE!


Hear for yourself what's REALLY going on
up at the paper mill! II

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd


12-2pm Walk/Bike the trail to show your support


2-2:30pm RALLY AT KERR PARK GAZEBO

Guest speakers to include


• Elected officials including Rep. Curt Schroder
• Conservation Specialists
• Other Friends of the Struble Trail
Don't just sit home and wonder
come out and walk!


FriendsOfTheStrubleTrail.org

 

[Fredrick]

I just posted something about this and didn't realize this was here count me in :-D

 

[lestrout]

Update below. There's a lot here - I wish you would all read it with care. Hopefully this represents a robust, realistic and politically sophisticated way to get our trouty interests represented.

1) Please attend the rally Saturday, Sept. 22 at 2:00
2) Email and call Kevin Kerr and Charlie Lobb to convince them to come
to the rally! Catherine Tomlinson has already committed to being there.
We need our supervisors to know the information that will be conveyed
at the rally, and learn the important reasons to save the whole property
and not just the trail area. GJonik@upperuwchlan-pa.gov, attn:
Supervisors
3) Holly Merker, avian life monitor Struble Trail area for Pa Breeding
Atlas, will lead a birdwatching walk during the pre-rally stroll.
(cool!)
4) If you can donate, please send a check to Friends of the Struble
Trail, P.O. Box 54, 19354. We appreciate the donations we have gotten
so far, but we are still a long way from covering our expenses.

Dear Friends,

Hello! Preparations for the rally are at full speed. There is such a
lot of planning that goes into something like this! Buying permits,
arranging for sound equipment, meeting with the Dept. of Public Works,
arranging the band...but it should be a fun and very informative event.
We are excited to have environmental experts, a civil engineer to talk
about safety issues surrounding access to the dam, and two local
officials who have been supportive of this project.

I have still not garnered full support from Upper Uwchlan Supervisors
Charlie Lobb and Kevin Kerr. We need to encourage them to come to the
rally. Presentation information is critical for them to know how to
make informed decisions that will affect ALL of us. I just spoke with
Gwen Jonik, township secretary, and she said the best way to contact the
Supervisors is through her email, GJonik@upperuwchlan-pa.gov, and she
will be happy to forward them. Kevin Kerr also has his own at
kkerr@upperuwchlan-pa.gov. Please, everybody, take a minute to email
them! Tell them saving the property is important to you, and encourage
them to come to the rally! If you know them, call them personally to
chat and ask them to come to the rally.

I'm excited that Holly Merker has offered to lead a tour of the avian
life along the trail on Rally Day. Did you know there are over 70
species of birds who live along the trail and on the property up to
Marsh Creek? And scores more can be found sometime during the year if
you watch migrating birds as they stop for very specific needs at Marsh
Creek. I had no idea. The walk will start at 12:30. I'll send details
later in the week.

Please consider donating to this cause if you feel extending the trail
would positively impact your quality of life. We appreciate what has
been sent so far, but we are still a long way from covering expenses.
PO Box 54, Lyndell, 19354.

Looks like the weather is thinking of cooperating...here's hoping for a
great day enjoying and then learning about one of Chester County's most
precious resources!

Sharon
Friends of the Struble Trail



tl
les

 

[JackM]

Get permission from the speakers to videotape the presentations so you can put together a DVD or VHS tape to send out to politicians who cannot or will not attend the rally. Home video equipment and an amateur camera pointer should be all that is required. Good luck.

 

[lestrout]

The Friends of Struble Trail initiative is gaining momentum. Yesterday there was another front page article in the Chester County paper Daily Local, headlining the rally in Kerr Park in Downingtown on Saturday 22 Sept. The smaller headline reports that "lawmakers are joining the effort to preserve the trail."

On this one, we ffishers are in the politically correct column, literally.

The paper also reported the meeting I alluded to, between the property owners (Sheltons) and the Natural Lands Trust http://www.natlands.org/home scheduled on September 14. Actually, the meeting failed to take place, since the Sheltons failed to show up. Whether they now realize they have bitten off more than they can chew by provoking a lot of outraged citizens or whether they are extra canny negotiators I leave up to you to decide.

The Natural Lands Trust can summon considerable resources (including money) for worthy causes.

How can we demonstrate worthiness?
Ans.: By showing up at the Rally.

I don't know if somebody famous said this, but I will say it for your consideration:
YOU CAN PRETEND YOU CARE; BUT YOU CAN'T PRETEND TO BE THERE. Physically. This is a little like Andy Worhol or was it Woodie Allen saying that 75% (or was it 85%) of being successful is just showing up.

If we lose access to this fine, beautiful and seasonably trouty DHALO water, the state will cease stocking the East Brandywine, which will make it non-DHALO. Admittedly, the upper upper reaches have a few wild trouts, but the lack of meaningful springs in the lower stretches should remove any concern on your part of stocking on top of wild trouts.

By the way, not yet publicized is the record fine for trashing a nearby spring creek by a contractor, who was caught and turned in by a couple of members of VFTU and WCFG&W. If we keep on our toes, it is within our power to do a few things to protect the resources that we so richly value.

BE THERE.

tl
les

 

[afishinado]

Great info Lestrout. I live nearby and fish the Brandywine once in a while. Unfortunately, I will be out of town this weekend.

This is a prime example why we should encourage the use of the streams and surrounding areas by everyone. If the area was unknown, and used only by a few fisherman, not a word would be heard. Instead, in this case, all the walkers, hikers, riders, etc. are voicing their opinion and taking action to preserve access to the area. Think about that the next time you think of complaining about the number of people walking, hiking and biking around your stream. Keeping an area to your self may not always be the best thing to do in the long run.

 

[lestrout]

Just a reminder for those who can attend Saturday's Struble Trail Rally in Downingtown's Kerr Park. If you can't, at least sign the petition at http://www.friendsofthestrubletrail.org/Home_Page.html

So far, we've heard from villeman, Frederick, Eric, afishinado, and tomgamber. I'm pretty sure there are several dozen others who have posted here about their happy experiences on the East Brandywine DHALO.

Our future here is in your hands.

tl
les

 

[StrubleFriend]

Hello Fishermen,

Thank You so much for those of you who attended the rally! The Daily Local put the attendance at 'several hundred.' I got distracted counting at 250 or so. A fine showing! Our goal in organizing this was to collect and share the information from all who use the Shryock property and know its value to our safety, water quality, habitat preservation, and of course recreational needs. With your help, I think we accomplished that. It's not just the trail portion that needs to be saved; it's the environmentally sensitive property between the State and County parks (as I came to find out.)
If you would like to keep tabs on what is coming up, please log onto FriendsOfTheStrubleTrail.org and 'esign' the petition. We will put your name on the petition itself, and also keep your email on file to send out bulletins of important meetings or obstacles where we can apply pressure in a concerted manner. Everything goes out 'blind copy' so your email is not visible, and we WILL NOT SHARE addresses, so please don't hesitate to add yourself to our growing numbers.
I know that you folks, especially, are sensitive to owner's rights and the need to work with people. You should know that the developers have spent a lot of our money and yet never actually submitted a plan for the supervisors to consider. They are in the process of suing the PUC for 19,000 additional gallons of sewage effluent per day. That works out to something like 80 homes. (It's zoned for 1,000 gallons, or 4 home worth of sewage.) That would have flooding impact on Downingtown in addition to the environmental harm it would cause. Our tax dollars are paying to defend against this...another reason for us to remove the property from consideration.
The next thing on our agenda is having a presence at the next Upper Uwchlan Township meeting Monday, October 1 at 7:00. We would like to get enough people there to show that the rally increased interest. The supervisors can decide whether to allow increased density zoning in exchange for returning the trail to public use. There is a time for public questions where we can raise the issue and let them know that we are concerned with their impending decision.

Thank you for your help so far, and please consider signing the petition.

Friends of the Struble Trail