Ongoing

• Publish a monthly FWW newsletter

• Attend White Township Supervisor Meetings, and White Township Planning meetings

• Conduct interviews with radio and print media, including 1160 WCCS, Indiana Gazette, HawkEye

• Monitor the letters to the editor in the Gazette

• Communicate with DCNR 

• Contact relevant community environmental and special interest groups

• Created and distribute yard signs

• Develop and distribute promotional and educational materials

• Sponsor Zoom webinar events​

• Apply for grant funding to support educational and advocacy activities

 

Historical

• April 2020: 

  • Discovered attempt to timber WWNC

  • Secured legal counsel

  • Contacted DCNR

• May 2020: 

  • Met with Mike Lawer, person hired by White Township to work in WWNC

  • Enlisted support of expert scientists: ecology, forestry

  • Filed a legal complaint asserting violation of the Sunshine Act and the Second Class Township Code pertaining to contract bidding

  • Sent mailing to over 1,000 households that border WWNC

  • Posted a petition on Change.org protesting protesting timbering in WWNC

  • Designed and solicited responses to a consumer survey about use of WWNC using Survey Monkey

• June 2020: 

  • Hired consulting forester Mike Wolf of Appalachian Foresters to review the Millstone plan and provide guidance for WWNC

• July 2020:

  • Obtained over 8,000 signatures on a Change.org petition

  • Compiled survey responses from 232 participants

  • Engaged consultant forester Mike Wolf to present his assessment of WWNC at a White Township Supervisors meeting

  • Prepared a 255-page response to the Millstone Plan and submitted copies to the Township and to DCNR.

• August 2020:

  • Submitted a successful grant request to the Indiana County Endowment

  • Contacted the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, The Natural Areas Association, and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy for information and guidance.

• September 2020:

  • Earned the Gold Star level of Transparency with the GuideStar Nonprofit Directory

  • Gavin Deming, Allegheny Goatscape, “Using Goats to Treat Invasive Species.” September 24, 2020

• October 2020:

  • Submitted a grant proposal to Mountain Dew Outdoor Grants – currently awaiting response

  • Submitted a grant proposal to Walmart Community Grants – currently awaiting response

  • Appalachian Forest Consultant Mike Wolf, “The Health of White’s Woods.”  October 22, 2020

• November 2020: ​

  • FWW met with Davey Resource representative Todd Sherbondy to initiate an i-Tree analysis of White’s Woods.​

  • Vincent Cotrone, PSE, “The Role of Trees and Forests in Stormwater Management.”  November 19, 2020

• January 2021:​

  • Margaret Brittingham, PhD, “Community Forests:  Benefits for Birds and People – Options and Challenges.” January 14, 2021

  • Todd Sherbondy i-Tree Analysis Presentation to White Township Board of Supervisors, January 27, 2021

• February 2021: ​

  • Bonnie McGill, PhD, “Comfortable Spaces for Uncomfortable Conversations: The Climate and Rural Systems Partnership of Western Pennsylvania.”  February 11, 2021

  • Presentation to the Indiana Evening Rotary Club, February 15, 2021

• March 2021: ​

  • Todd Sherbondy, Davey Resource Group, "i-Tree Analysis of the White's Woods Nature Center" March 4, 2021​

• April 2021: ​

  • Sherry Edelson, Director of Operations, the Arboretum at Penn State, "Restoration at Hartley Woods" April 15, 2021​

  • DCNR reviews and rejects White Township Stewardship Plan and FWW writes a letter calling for the need for public input

  • Limited edition print of Chuck Olson painting, “In White’s Woods,” available to donors.

• May 2021: ​

  • Drs. Sara Keubbing and Marion Holmes, University of Pittsburgh Invasion Ecology Research Lab, “Ecological Impact of Invasive Plant Species,” May 20, 2021.​