Photograph info: This photograph was taken on Saturday during the Cooks Creek Watershed Association's annual children's educational workshop on water quality and stream invertebrates called "Mini-Monster Mayhem!" Cooks Creek flows through Springfield Township and Durham Township into the Delaware River. It's rated as an "Exceptional Value" waterway and is the only wild brown trout and native brook trout stream in Bucks County

Scott Douglas, President of the Cooks Creek Watershed Association, invites local kids & their parents to his family's home on the creek to teach them about water quality and the basics of stream ecology. The class includes wading through the creek to find & examine "mini-monsters" such as stoneflies, mayflies, craneflies, water penny beetles, crayfish, and huge, crazy-looking dobsonfly larvae.

Scott has been active in local watershed planning & advocacy for 20 years. He's Chairman of the Springfield Township Environmental Advisory Coucil, a member of both the Springfield Planning Commission and the Durham Township Environmental Advisory Council and during normal working hours (!) he's an environmental toxicologist specializing in sediment management for the state of New Jersey. He also teaches a graduate course at Rutgers University and is a Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 27.

That's a long list -- but it's actually a short list. I can't think of anyone who devotes more of his or her free time to the quality of life in this community. Thank you, Scott!

Camera settings and post-processing: Shot with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lens at 50mm, ISO 400, f/2.8, 1/125s. Curves adjustments for contrast.

Thank you for visiting Durham Township!

--Kathleen

Wow, that is a stunning photograph

Thanks for sharing his impressive story. I am sure he will be pleased with the portrait...

Wonderful write-up and photo. Now there's a man with a lot of depth.

Lovely portrait and story about this man.

Wonderful image. The atmosphere is great with the damp misty air.

He is doing a great service to the community. He sounds like one very busy guy. Very impressive. He must posses amazing organizational skills and have quite a bit of energy to keep up with all that...I got exhausted just reading it!

Too luscious along Cooks Creek, and too much water. Southwest Idaho has rivers with half that much water....or no water. We try and make up for the shortfall in the foliage department by occasionally sprinkling the banks with silver and gold. We swap the nets for pans. When the metals run short, Ms Nature adds extra rattlesnakes and calls it even. But if I had to take a tour of some overgrown back-eastern waterway, there would likely be no better guide than Scott.

Excellent capture and story. I know Cook's Creek and have fly fished the stream. It is a wonderful place. It's unfortunate that access is so limited but, at the same time, understandable.

Wonderful image. Love the rich deep colors. He looks so 'in his element'.

Now we meet a new Durham Township resident...
A teacher, an educator, a planner and a president.
Opportunities for him to be busy there is no lack,
He even works in being leader of the pack.
So catching Mr. Douglas knee deep in Cook's Creek
Means he is just finishing up another busy week!

Hi my name is Thomas and I love this photo because I love to go in streams and rivers myself. I like this photo a lot!

I love the photo. As a fly fisherman, I appreciate Scott's efforts. I also appreciate your wonderful photo blog. It is refrehsing to see someone of your talent celebrate rural life with such vibrancy.

I might have cropped the top bit (sorry, couldn't resist) to focus on Scott's presence in the frame more. On the other hand, the tree is lovely.

I like the composition and balance of your colors and subject. The man, Mr. Douglas, appears timelessly in his own element.

Your photos always speak by themselves so I have never been to this spot where you add words. Your words add Story!! to your photographs. Thank you for both!

I also visit a photo blog called grassdoe.blogspot.com -- it has NO words or name at all - it is in Maine - you words make me wonder what I am missing from the photos w/o stories.

You don't go far but you are a scout that shares with all ... what a blessing..

Onward .. be well

pbh

these are ALL stunning images!

Great pic. I also very surprised! I was a scout in Troop 27 many years back. I'm glad to hear that Mr. Douglas is still involved in the troop.

By the way, I love the blog. I live in Tokyo, Japan now and I'm love coming here to remind of where I came from.