Discover how the Stroud Center is impacting waterways right here in Lancaster County

Since 1967, Stroud Water Research Center has been a global leader in freshwater science. Here in Lancaster County, they bring research to life—restoring streams, planting trees, and empowering communities to protect clean water for all.

Science That Saves Streams

For more than 50 years, the Stroud Center’s world-class scientists have produced groundbreaking research that drives real change—from improving tree survival rates from 20% to over 85% to shaping USDA guidelines for streamside forest restoration. This work protects drinking water, reduces flooding, supports wildlife, and builds climate resilience.

Caring for the Land, Protecting the Water

The Stroud Center partners with farmers, landowners, and municipalities to plant and care for riparian buffers—the most cost-effective tool to restore healthy streams. Each acre planted is a powerful investment in clean water, biodiversity, and thriving communities.

Why Lancaster Matters

Lancaster County sends the highest pollution loads to the Chesapeake Bay of any Pennsylvania county. More than half of its streams are impaired. Your support has a direct, measurable impact on your community and your downstream neighbors.

Education for All

Stroud Center educators bring science to life through hands-on stream exploration, canoe trips, mobile labs, and virtual learning—inspiring people of all ages to become stewards of their local waters.

Outdoor Learning Network Initiative (OLNI)

Each summer, Lancaster County teachers gather for a professional development program that grows as they do. Instead of a one-time workshop, OLNI invites teachers back year after year, building a community where curiosity, creativity, and collaboration thrive alongside the science they’re bringing back to their classrooms. Born out of a partnership among the Lancaster County Conservation District, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and Stroud Water Research Center, OLNI’s mission is simple but powerful: help teachers weave Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences into their curricula. These experiences—hands-on investigations into local waterways and ecosystems—connect students to the environment.

“[The program] created this very organic mixture of educators who all share a common goal: bringing outdoor experiences into their classrooms and bringing classrooms out into the natural world.”

– James Hovan, longtime environmental science teacher from Conestoga Valley School District

How They Protect Clean Water in Lancaster County

• $2 million secured annually for conservation on local farms
• 85 acres of streamside forests planted each year
• 1,400 acres of farmland improved annually for cleaner water
• 16,000+ trees planted with local farmers and communities each year

Your Gift Protects Fresh Water

Together, we can keep streams clean, communities healthy, and ecosystems thriving. Give during ExtraGive and be part of Lancaster’s clean water legacy. Protect Clean Water. Restore Healthy Streams.

ExtraGive Celebration at Thistle Finch Distillery

When: Friday, November 21, 2025, from 6–9PM
Where: Burley Bar and Restaurant at Thistle Finch Distillery | 417 West Grant Street
Cost: Free but space is limited! RSVPs are optional but appreciated.

Come celebrate ExtraGive, Lancaster County’s special day of giving! The Stroud Center wants to meet you and thank you for your support over a great happy hour in an inviting space.

• Join in free raffles
• Enjoy free light hors d’oeuvres
• Take a free distillery tour at 7PM
• Meet your neighbors and friends from the Stroud Center
• Mark and Jordan Rast playing banjo and fiddle

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