Earth Day at Pine Grove Furnace

The Friends of Pine Grove Furnace SP was helping out the park for Earth Day activities on Saturday so I did my part and showed up to pitch in. Projects included planting trees, removing invasive species, cleaning up the ampitheatre for the upcoming camping season, and rehabbing some of Creek Trail. Of course, I had to pitch in and help with the trail rehab. The main project was building a new causeway at the trail entrance to get across a very wet area. I understand there's more wet spots further down the trail which will have to be addressed as well, but this has been an extremely wet spring--problem areas exist where there have historically not been problem areas.

Park maintenance had placed two logs to serve as the sides of the causeway and we grunts had to fill in the space with ballast rock, topped with landscape fabric, and then a fat layer of mulch. Many dumptruck loads of rock and mulch later, a new causeway was ready for foot traffic. Luckily the rain held off so we didn't have to get wetter than absolutely necessary!

Jason, the Park HMFWIC, said between Friday and Saturday, they logged almost 195 volunteer hours. That's awesome. The State Parks (and public lands in general) are relying more and more on volunteerism to complete projects and maintenance in this time of squeezing budgets and general political jackassery in Harrisburg. If you get the chance, lend a hand and help the state park system, one of the better (if not the best) Commonwealth public resources and legacies, to continue to be world class.

Pics courtesy of Sheena.