Scouting for some good volunteers

By SANDY LONG

UPPER DELAWARE REGION — Rich Egan clearly enjoys his role as a four-year volunteer for the National Park Service (NPS). So much so that he fosters additional volunteerism by coordinating local scouting troops in support of the NPS’s management of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, comprising 73 miles of the Upper Delaware River between Hancock and Narrowsburg, NY.

When the Damascus, PA resident retired from a career as a chemist for Merck and Company, he was determined to keep busy—and to be outdoors as much as possible. After participating in the NPS’s Delaware River Sojourn, Egan realized that his background as a chemist could be put to use in assisting the NPS with its water quality monitoring program.

Four times a month, from May through September, Egan joins park biologist Jamie Myers as she samples the Upper Delaware River at 13 sites for various factors, such as fecal coliform levels, nitrates, phosphates and dissolved oxygen. Some samples are sent to a lab, while others are analyzed at the NPS’s lab in Milanville, PA. Egan assists with the analysis, data entry and database management that is required.

Egan also visits area schools with Meyers on Earth Day to talk with students about the region’s natural resources and to encourage protection. He helps with the NPS’s efforts to manage invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed, purple loosestrife and water chestnut. To date, Egan has logged more than 1,700 volunteer hours. NPS Volunteer Coordinator Ingrid Peterec describes Egan as “an incredible asset to the park.”

Egan’s effectiveness is enhanced by his efforts to involve local boy and girl scouts in the park. He coordinates the volunteer scouting program in its support of the park and wants to increase troop participation. Scouts that perform six hours of service receive the NPS’s “Service to America” patch for their efforts. Interested troops should contact Egan at the NPS’s Milanville office at 570/729-7842.

As scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 122, based in Damascus, PA, Egan marshaled his troops to help remove water chestnut from a pond near Narrowsburg, NY and prevent its spread into the Delaware River. “It’s much better to remove it at its source, than to try to remove it from miles of river,” said Egan.

Egan urges any boys in sixth grade or older who reside in Narrowsburg, Beach Lake, Damascus, Tyler Hill or Equinunk, PA to join the troop, which also enjoys activities like hiking and camping. Meetings are held every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Damascus United Methodist Church on Route 371.

After having many positive experiences at NPS sites while traveling with his wife, Egan has concluded, “The NPS is a gem and needs support to continue. I’m happy to help.”

Peterec agrees. “The volunteers make it possible for important NPS programs to continue. If we took the volunteers away, the amount of programs and services we can offer would be impacted. People like Rich make a big difference.”

Volunteers can choose from various activities involving visitor services, cultural and natural resource management, administration and maintenance. Tasks can include presenting tours and talks, staffing river access areas, patrolling the river by canoe, working with archival collections, office and computer work, trail maintenance and much more. Volunteers range in age from children to retirees and people choose the number of hours they can commit to as well as the activity that appeals to their interests and skills.

For more information, contact Peterec at upde_interpretation@nps.gov or call 570/685-4871. For information about the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, see the park’s web page at nps.gov/upde.