Andy Close
WARREN, Pa. – When it comes to the Allegheny River, few are more qualified to talk about its present and future than Piper VanOrd.
VanOrd, who owns Allegheny Outfitters, gave a breathtaking photo presentation of the Allegheny Thursday, highlighting its present and celebrating its future through her lens.
The presentation was at the Warren County Courthouse and put on by the Warren County Historical Society.
“It became our job to overturn every nook and cranny of this river,” VanOrd said. “It’s always been my thought, especially out in nature and since returning home 16 years ago, that if I could show people what I saw with my own eyes while I was out there, they might want to go out there too.”
VanOrd’s photos highlighted many of the river’s finest features, capturing the seasons, wildlife, as well as the human element.
“Regardless of seasons, I’ve found visiting with the river a very comforting way to get my grounding,” she said.
She showed the Allegheny’s four seasons, as well as some of the hard-to-navigate areas along it.
“I really appreciate how many benches we have to sit and look at the river,” she said. “The only constant thing on the river is change.”
Her wildlife images of the aviary nature captured everything from the “Starbrick Swans” swans that are found on or near River Road in Starbrick – to the classic bald eagle and everything in between.
“The swans were dropped off about 30 years ago, so we have generations of swans, and they hunker down, too,” VanOrd said.
Of the bald eagle, VanOrd said, “it’s incredible to me, a bird you can see on a daily basis can still somehow fascinate you.”
And then there are the unexpected visitors, such as the tundra swan.
“We had a particularly bad weather system come through one year and they (tundra swans) came for about 24 hours and then left,” VanOrd said.
She also noted the land animals, the most common of which are deer, as well as the aquatic critters, which include newts, snapping turtles, and northern water snakes, among others.
“That’s where it gets really cool,” VanOrd said of the aquatic animals.
She concluded by showing off some of the human elements, including some of the memorable trips she has had, including one in particular with her daughter last summer.
“We’ve been fortunate to have some really meaningful trips,” VanOrd said. “If you look at these pictures, the common theme is that people are smiling. Last summer, my daughter and I camped on an island. Sometimes we need that reminder to slow down and take a break. There’s nothing that helps me do that more than this river. The truth is, as long as we’re loving on the river and continuing to clean it and treat it how it should be treated, that’s what matters. Generations, long after we’re all gone, can enjoy it like we do. That’s my hope for the future of the river.”
