At an event on May 21, the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed (TTF) Partnership honored Arcadia University for its sustainability and stewardship efforts in improving the watershed and stormwater infrastructure.

The University received the Educator Award at TTF’s Watershed Milestones Award Ceremony and Reception. The award recognizes the University’s “significant contribution to improving [the partnership’s] watershed through its leadership as steward of a campus that protects its creek, particularly through green stormwater infrastructure.”

Arcadia’s use of green roofs, porous pavement, rain gardens, and underground retention and irrigation systems are all part of the University’s sustainability efforts. Arcadia also helped develop the Circuit, a trail system which connects the campus to the Cheltenham Township and the Greater Philadelphia region.

In April, Associate Vice President of Facilities Management Tom Macchi led a stormwater management tour on campus as part of the Managing Rainfall: Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Stormwater Project Tour. The tour was funded by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania Citizen Education Fund through the Growing Greener grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

“Arcadia University has been a long-time leader in sustainability in our watershed and we have been honored to work with its administration, faculty, and students,” said Julie Slavet, executive director of the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership. “From the school’s innovative green stormwater infrastructure and embrace of The Circuit, to the incorporation of watershed and stormwater issues into courses, to the commitment of students to community service with TTF, Arcadia has proven its commitment to its creek and watershed, Cheltenham Township, and the region, as well as to preparing environmental stewards to contribute to the future of our planet. We are delighted to recognize Arcadia University as a TTF Watershed Educator.”