The Friends of Poquessing Watershed Inc.  of Philadelphia and Bucks County
Dedicated to the Conservation and Beautification of the Poquessing Creek and Its Environs

Who We Are

    The Friends of Poquessing Watershed of Philadelphia and Bucks County is an all volunteer non-profit environmental group which is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the Poquessing Watershed. Our offices are located in the Community College of Philadelphia, NorthEast, at 12901Townsend Road in Northeast Philadelphia.

    The Watershed, with a history dating back to the days of William Penn and his treaty with the Indians, is a long neglected 21 square mile area which straddles Philadelphia and Bucks County.
    The Poquessing Creek starts in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, and provides the boundary between Philadelphia and Bensalem, Bucks County. It is fed by several tributaries such as Bloody Run, Elwoods Run, Wilsons Run, Waltons Run, Black Lake Run, and Byberry Creek before it empties into the Delaware River by the Glen Foerd mansion at Grant Avenue.

    The Friends of Poquessing Watershed was organized in early 1990 to:

• Create an awareness of and respect for the environmental importance of the Poquessing Creek, its tributaries and the entire Watershed
• Increase the awareness of the historical significance of the area
• Improve the water quality and the environmental conditions of the Creek and its wetlands
• Become a large, active educational voice in the community for the entire Poquessing Watershed
• Ultimately create a passive linear trail for walking and wildlife appreciation out of public land that borders the Poquessing Creek
• Promote an appreciation of the contributions of Doctor Benjamin Rush to the development of psychiatric care in the United States and to recognize his part in the founding of this country
• Preserve the integrity of the present boundaries of the Benjamin Rush State Park, and to promote its use as a nature and wildlife preserve

What We Do

The Friends of Poquessing meet at 7:30 PM on the 1st Thursday of the months of March, April, May, June, Sept, Oct, Nov, and December.
Meetings are held at either the Byberry Friends Meetinghouse at Southampton and Thornton Roads, Philadelphia, PA or at the Philadelphia Community College on Townsend Road, Philadelphia, PA. Please see the Upcoming Events page for current information on our meetings and other activities.

FOPW maintains Board Member representation with the following groups:
 

• Fairmount Park Commission Advisory Council
• Philadelphia Water Department Citizen Advisory Stormwater Pollution Council
• Philadelphia Police Department Advisory Council 7th District
• Philadelphia Police Department Advisory Council 8th District
• The CHAIN Cluster (Children Achieving In the NorthEast)

• Cleanups
• Periodic walks and tours at selected locations
• Attendance at local community meetings
• Correspondence with local news media
• Educational presentations to schools, community, fraternal and social organizations
• Publication of "The Poquessing Pathfinder"
• Water quality testing
• Town Watch
• Charles T. Bejuki Memorial Scholarship Fund