Common Volunteer Restoration Projects 

 

Trail Repair   

Trails are regularly used by walkers, hikers, bikers and horseback riders, resulting in the need for frequent maintenance.  Recreational use causes erosion and the creation of unofficial, or rogue, trails. Waterbars, rolling dips and other repairs help stabilize trails and control erosion caused by water runoff and regular use. Sometimes trails must be closed to allow for re-growth of vegetation or to alleviate dangerous areas. Trail repair and maintenance can include constructing new trails, blocking rogue trails or the removal of overgrown plants to clear the trail for safe use.

Hard at work volunteers repair trails in Wissahickon Valley Park.

 

Invasive Plant Removal

Volunteers remove Japanese knotweed in Tacony Creek Park.

Invasive plants grow very aggressively, cover large areas and inhibit the growth of native vegetation. Invasive plants present significant ecological problems in each of the parks. To reduce this increasing problem, these invasive species must be controlled in the park’s natural lands. Control methods include cutting, removing root systems and herbicide applied by a professional. Some invasive plants that are removed must be bagged and transported out of the park. Examples of invasive plants include:  Purple loosestrife, Japanese knotweed, Garlic mustard, Ailanthus, multiflora rose, Common reed, Norway maple, Grape vine, Akebia, Kudzu, Oriental bittersweet and Japanese honeysuckle.

 

General Cleanup

A clean park is a beautiful park. Trash and debris not only make our parks unattractive, they contribute to the contamination of our land and water and pose a danger to wildlife. General cleanup is more than a trash pickup, it includes removing illegally dumped materials, fixing a fence or restoring a picnic area. The goal of the cleanups is to make the park more aesthetically pleasing at visible entryways and safer for the animals who live there.

Volunteers cleanup Pennypack Park.

 

Streambank Restoration

Volunteers help stabilize a streambank in Pennypack Park using biodegradable coir fabric that is made out of coconut fibers.

Many of the streams in Fairmount Park are suffering from severe bank erosion and degradation due, in part, to urban runoff. The streambank is an important buffer zone between the land and water, keeping harmful contaminants out of our drinking water. For this reason, streambank restoration is an important goal. Repairing a streambank can be a large undertaking. Methods such as planting native species and stabilizing soil with biodegradable materials are used in this process.

 

Planting

Planting is a critical step in preserving and enhancing healthy ecosystems. Planting native trees, shrubs and herbaceous vegetation not only improves how the park looks but also aids in the prevention of erosion of hillsides and streambanks and provides valuable wildlife habitat. The root systems of plants help stabilize the soil and absorb rainwater and storm water runoff. The on-going monitoring and maintenance of plantings is also an important restoration activity.

Volunteers from FitzSimon Middle School plant trees at the Lemon Hill restoration site in  Fairmount (East) Park.

Many volunteers have donated their time to help restore Fairmount Park's natural lands by participating in ecological restoration projects.

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