The Relationship Between Human Activity and the Health of River Ecology
Many would assume the best thing for the rivers would be a "return to nature", however, that really is not an option. The health of the Delaware River Watershed and its inhabitants depends on a highly managed relationship between human activity and the waterways. Each of our panelists has been deeply involved in that relationship and has valuable insights to share about past, current, and future challenges.
On Earth Day April 22nd, 6:30 - 8:00 PM (EDT) join a panel discussion with experts from the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the Delaware River Basin Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Moderated by a fellow GEO member, an expert in environment and city planning Timothy Kerner, we will hear panelists share their insight on:
The Delaware River watershed - an ecological region that supports the population and wildlife across four states
The origins and mission of the Delaware River Basin Commission
The Delaware River Sojourn experience
The Clean Water Act and its impact on the health of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers
Challenges of achieving and maintaining clean waters
The Delaware River Watershed Initiative - goals, projects, findings
The Academy of Natural Sciences and Drexel - education, public opinion, and the environment,
and also touch on fracking regulation, interstate coordination, the needs of industry and ecology, and balancing the concerns of the population and the river.
Panelists:
Carol Collier – the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Kate Schmidt – Delaware River Basin Commission
Garth Connor – Environmental Protection Agency
Moderator
Timothy A. Kerner – Principal at Terra Studio LLC and Adjunct Professor of Architecture at Temple University
Carol Collier - Carol is Sr. Advisor, Watershed Mgt. & Policy at the Academy of Natural Sciences and Director of the Environmental Studies and Sustainability Program at Drexel Univ. Formerly she served for 15+ years as executive director of the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC). She was executive director of Pennsylvania’s 21st Century Environment Commission and director of the Pennsylvania DEP Southeast Region. She has a B.A. in biology from Smith College and a MRP from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a licensed planner in New Jersey, a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners (FAICP), a Fellow in the Amer. Water Resources Assn. and a Certified Senior Ecologist (ESA). She advises on watershed management and the development of more resilient systems for an uncertain future and believes that proper management of water resources is the key to our economic and environmental future. She and her husband, Rick, live in Ambler, Pa.
Kate Schmidt (she/her/hers) - Since 2005, Kate has served as the Communications Specialist for the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC). In this role, Kate is responsible for the DRBC’s public information and outreach efforts, media relations, website maintenance, and social media presence. Kate serves as the DRBC representative on the Delaware River Sojourn Steering Committee, which plans and leads the annual Delaware River Sojourn. The Delaware Sojourn, a guided, educational paddling and camping trip, is one of the oldest river sojourns in the nation. Kate earned her BS in Biology and BA in English from Susquehanna University in 2000. She resides in Bucks County, Pa.
Garth N. Connor - Garth is an Environmental Scientist and currently performs environmental inspections in a variety of industrial sectors for EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Garth also gets involved in case development with facilities that have been inspected by his office and he participates regularly in legal negotiations and enforcement settlements. He frequently provides compliance assistance and outreach about environmental requirements to the regulated community. Garth has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He also has a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science, with a Concentration in Toxicology, from Drexel University’s School of Environmental Science and Engineering. He enjoys physical fitness in his leisure time and sometimes participates in triathlons (swim, bike, and run races) on weekends. He is married, has two daughters, and lives in Philadelphia.
Timothy A. Kerner - A member of the GEO, is the Principal at Terra Studio LLC, a Philadelphia architectural firm that specializes in residential and educational architecture. He is an Adjunct Professor at Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University where he teaches Urban Design and the Master’s Thesis Studio. He is on the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and has chaired several task forces related to preservation, zoning and development of the city. Tim has degrees in the Design of the Environment, Architecture and City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on the relationship between the urban environment, architectural form and social history and he has written articles on Philadelphia’s post-industrial waterfronts for Hidden City, PlanPhilly and Context. He enjoys walking, biking and kayaking along the rivers and lives in Center City with his wife, Gabriela, who is also a member of the GEO.
Program cover photo by Michael Froio, adjunct instructor of photography at Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Drexel University
