Submitted Article
The D&H Rail Trail Swale Community Project, offered by Penn State Extension, is seeking community volunteers to help aid in erosion efforts and enhance the natural beauty and wildlife habitat for a portion of the trail. The project will take place on Saturday, April 29, from 9 am to 4 pm at the D&H Rail Trail in Thompson (Ararat Township) and participants will meet at the parking lot intersection of Ararat Road and Burnwood Road.
Volunteers will help plant native trees, grasses, shrubs, and perennials and will learn about habitat enhancement, beaver management, climate change, watersheds, and tree identification.
All members of the community including high school students, parents, teachers, Master Gardeners, and Master Watershed Stewards are invited to register. A tree seedling will be given to the first 25 registrants and students will receive a certificate.
“We are not only creating something to preserve and conserve the environment but to provide a service to humans and animals alike We are educating the community on the importance of soil and water conservation, enlightening our audience on how native plants thrive in the habitat by providing shelter, food sources, erosion control, and improve water quality for animals and humans.” Penn State Extension Master Gardener Area Coordinator Lori Voll-Wallace said. “Furthermore, we are enhancing the economic growth of the communities surrounding the D&H Rail-Trail and, in part, helping to expand the whole Rail-Trail system across Pennsylvania.”
The D&H Rail Trail Swale project is funded by the Department of Environmental Protection with guidance from Penn State Extension Staff, Susquehanna County Conservation District, D&H Rail Trail, and other agencies.
To register visit: www.extension.psu.edu/d-h-rail-trail-swale-community-project. For more information, Voll-Wallace at lkw17@psu.edu or call 570-666-9007.