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by Ed Lawrence, Trail Care Chair
A sparkling spring morning at French Creek State Park greeted fifteen volunteers who had gathered for a "Code Orange" work day on May 5, 2013. The park's dynamic Environmental Education Specialist/Volunteer Coordinator, Lisa Miller, welcomed KTA Trail Care and local park supporters for the second year of partnering to improve French Creek's extensive trail system. In hand, Lisa had DCNR volunteer shirts, hats, and other 'swag' to further sweeten the deal and show the Park's appreciation for the enthusiastic turn-out.
Activity then moved to the first work-site, where the crew spent the morning rerouting around an eroded section of the Kalmia Trail. While volunteers cleared a new trail corridor and established a stable tread-way, a scarlet tanager flitted about the forest canopy entranced in song. Leaves and organic matter that was being raked and removed from the new trail was carried to the old section, where it was spread as the base layer to begin the re-vegetating process. Finally, as the new section of trail was blazed, the old was crisscrossed with all manner of fallen limbs and branches, which served both to block it from future use and secure the duff material.
After a convivial lunch, volunteers hiked their tools to a section of the Six Penny Trail, which also was suffering from erosion. Experienced and emboldened from the mornings work and pleasing results, the crew began a second reroute that was nailed down and ready to be opened by the afternoon. Several hikers who passed through the work-in-progress expressed their thanks to the crew for their impressive efforts.
Mark your calendars for May 3, 2014, when KTA Trail Care will return to French Creek for a "Code Orange" hat trick. Click here for the full Trail Care schedule! |