Hi all - I'm not sure if they utilize volunteers for stream work, but I'd be interested in volunteering my time to help if that is a possibility. Does anyone have further info? Also, I wanted to mention the restoration work directly above Bellefonte. Does anyone have any further information on this project? Many thanks. Dave
Clearwater Conservancy and Spring Creek Trout Unlimited sometimes have riparian buffer tree planting events, in spring and fall.
Clearwater Conservancy has riparian buffer volunteers who agree to do buffer maintenance on a regular basis on a particular buffer. Maintenance includes planting additional trees and shrubs to replace those that died, re-staking tree tubes that are leaning or that have fallen down. Removing netting from the tree tubes when the trees emerge from the top of the tubes. Removing tree tubes when the trees have grown large enough. Controlling invasive species, but only through cutting or pulling, because you can't apply herbicides on other peoples' land without a license.
Regarding habitat construction projects, volunteers do not work on that as much as in the past. The types of structural work have changed, and now much of the work is done with heavy machinery and power tools. And the hand work that is done is typically done by the contractor's crew. There are probably safety reasons. When working around heavy machinery, working with power tools, like a chain saw, it's a good idea to have people with training and experience and protective gear.
For example, the project you mentioned just above Bellefonte. I'm pretty sure that was all done by a construction crew, without any volunteer labor.
I walked through and looked at that stream habitat work just above Bellefonte, but I haven't seen any articles about it. It looks similar to other projects. I saw a sign saying it's going to be called a "park" or something like that. That land is owned by Spring Township. It's open to public fishing.
Years ago, there was an informal dump on that land. Where the parking pulloff is, people used to drive back a lane and dump stuff. It was a real mess. Mattresses, old TVs, construction junk, a mini-bike, all kinds of junk. Spring Creek TU, including me, cleaned it up over a few years. Our TU president talked to Spring Township and they installed the gate you see there now, which prevented dumpers from driving back there. They also asked police to patrol that area to discourage dumping. For a few years, people would sometimes still dump stuff in that parking pulloff, but the problem has mostly gone away.
