Nature Journaling Tip #16: Watersheds

Everyone lives in a watershed. A watershed is a basin that catches all the rainwater and snowmelt that runs into a particular lake or stream. Not far from where I'm writing this is a little stream called Moon Brook. Rain that runs off the Roger Tory Peterson Institute's property flows into a wetland that is connected to Moon Brook. Moon Brook is a short stream; it would take no more than a few hours to hike either to its source, up on Airport Hill, or to its outlet where it flows into the Chadakoin River, which is also the outlet of Chautauqua Lake. From the Chadakoin, the flow goes like this: Cassadaga Creek - Conewango Creek - Allegheny River - Ohio River - Mississippi River - Gulf of Mexico.

So, on warmer days (this is not one of them) some of the 11 feet of snow we've had so far this winter melts and, eventually, flows all the way to the Gulf. Amazing. The saying, "Everybody lives upstream," means we all share in the responsibility of protecting the quality of the water that is in our own watershed because people who live downstream are going to use some of the same water we did and because we share watersheds with lots of other living things.

A few years ago I wanted to find out what the watershed of Chautauqua Lake looks like and learn about its natural history firsthand. I studied maps, explored the high ridges that form the rim of the basin, some of the lake's tributary streams, the lake's shoreline and outlet. I talked with experts on the watershed's natural history and the history of the people who have lived here for hundreds of years. Then I created a map of the watershed. The map tells the story of our watershed from my point of view. Making the map increased my sense of connectedness to this place I call home. It made me realize this place on the northwest rim of the Allegheny Plateau is special and that I have a responsibility to preserve and protect it.

Your place is special too. Why not find out more about your watershed and what makes it special - maybe you will be inspired to make your own map of your watershed too?

Mark Baldwin is the Director of Education at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History (RTPI), a proud partner in National Environmental Education Week. Each year RTPI offers online workshops for educators interested in bringing nature journaling into the classroom. For more information visit www.rtpi.org.