Preparing a New Reserve 2009

Preparing a New Reserve

There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into getting a reserve ready for public use. The Caywood Reserve is no exception. The vast majority of work was accomplished within a month’s time.

The first work crew set out Sunday, August 9th to explore and flag the initial trail. There were six in the party, and the day marked a mile and a half of paths which eventually became the yellow and the red trails.

A crew of two set out the following Sunday to walk the tagged trail and add what became the blue loop to the system. GPS units used both days made accurate trails much easier than ever before.

A few days later another small crew set out with a chainsaw, some loppers and clippers to clear the large deadfall blocking a few areas of the proposed trails. There was also a shorter trip with the surveyor to make sure that some upcoming changes would not affect the work in place.

The most concerted effort was Sunday, August 30th. This was a heavily publicized work day, which resulted in a large crew accomplishing many chores. The entrance trail was revised, the trails were trimmed of eye hazards and trippers, and the blazes were painted on the trees. KarenLee Kreger, one of our volunteers, set up a tent and donated cases of water and Gatorade, snack bars and fruit for the workers.

There were several additional projects to be attended to before the scheduled walk on September 19th, and we were quite fortunate that the weather was cooperative for us.

The Caywood Reserve is open to the public at this time. However, there are still several items that need attention before we can schedule its dedication. We need to raise capital for a new reserve map sign as well as for a permanent parking area. We also need to arrange for the removal of the buildings. We are actively gathering bids and estimates for all of this work. If you know of anyone able to donate some of this work we would be happy to hear from you!

Geocache Treasure Hunt Autumn 2009

Geocache Treasure Hunt Autumn 2009

Saturday, October 24th is the date for our Autumn Geocache Event! There are a few new 'twists' to this venture. Tracy Imai and Jeff McMahill are now handling placement of the temporary caches. They are experienced geocachers and active Conservancy members. The caches will now reflect various levels of difficulty to make the event interesting for all cachers! Open to the public, this event provides the opportunity for participants to challenge their GPS skills by searching for hidden caches in each of six nature reserves in Murrysville: the King Nature Reserve on Crowfoot Road, the Caywood Reserve on Hills Church Road, the McGinnis Nature Reserve on Hunter Road, the Tomer Reserve on Twin Oaks, the Walter Reserve on Weistertown, and Potter's Corner next to the King Reserve on Crowfoot. Coordinates for all of the caches will be available at the entrance to each reserve, on the Westmoreland Conservancy website, and on geocaching.com

When a cache is successfully located the treasure hunters will retrieve an item and sign the log book. A picnic follows the hunt at Townsend Park at 3pm. Raffle tickets will be awarded for each cache located and prizes awarded to the winning ticket holders.

We have been approaching local businesses to donate prizes (gift cards, etc.) and help underwrite the expense of the picnic. All donating entities will be acknowledged by name in our next newsletter (January 2010).

Caywood Reserve Walk 2009

9/19/09 Caywood Reserve Walk

The Caywood Reserve boasts three distinct paths combining for a hike of more than 2 miles. We were fortunate to have had a wide assortment of volunteers working on the trails. Over several weekends they flagged, trimmed out and blazed the paths in preparation for this first walk, scheduled for Saturday, September 19th.

It started as a crisp morning that warmed comfortably and was a perfect day to explore the new reserve. Twenty people came together at the trailhead ready to tackle the trails. The Garden Orb Weaver spiders along the brush line provided the first photo frenzy.

Sue Miller is a wonderful guide for our reserves, telling quirky nature stories and pointing out interesting facts. She is a member of the Westmoreland Conservancy as well as the Westmoreland Bird and Nature Club. Sue and Shelly Tichy lead this tour together, highlighting points of interest and local history along the way. Sue talked about the resident flora, such as spicebush and white snakeroot, and together they pointed out an enormous old oak tree, described by Dick Byers as one of the oldest living things on the Westmoreland Conservancy reserves.

The yellow trail is the trailhead, visible from Hills Church Road. There is no permanent driveway, sign or parking area in place yet. There are still negotiations and considerations to be resolved. The trail crosses Buelah Lane, a private drive that is not open for public access. Our ramp into the upper field is still under construction. The yellow trail meanders across a lovely field and through the woods, skirting neighbors' properties and following Jane Caywood's old driveway for a short distance before turning back into the woods around the homestead area. It ends at an old bench at the rear of the clearing overlooking a peaceful meadow.

The red trail loop enters the woods near the bench and leads around to where the property meets the Murrysville Community Park. It is at

this connection that the Green Corridor Trail will come through and follow the yellow trail back to Hills Church Road. This trail is possibly the most scenic of the three, with a wide assortment of photogenic fungi and massive trees.

The blue trail goes back into the woods right next to where the red trail ends. It provides an easy, comfortable walk back to the yellow trail through cherry, oak, sassafras and red maple trees.

Cary Bohl had refreshments for everyone to enjoy upon returning to the parking area. The leisurely hike took about 2.5 hours, so it was quite welcome.

Our plan is to have a proper dedication of the Caywood Reserve in 2010. It is a beautiful property and a key link in the Green Corridor. We are very fortunate to have received this land. Please enjoy it!

Rock Point Nature Area 2009

Rock Point Nature Area

The Wild Waterways Conservancy has an interesting and historic property near Ellwood City that just begs to be explored. Rock Point Park was a Victorian-era amusement park nestled within the land between the railway and the Connoquenessing Creek where it joins the Beaver River. Another "Trolley Park", it was contemporary to and in competition with the likes of Kennywood, Idora Park and Cascade Park. Rock Point saw its heyday between 1885 and 1911.

After closing there were an undetermined number of fires that destroyed the structures, and nearly 100 years hence there is little evidence of the park. Nature has reclaimed the area, allowing for some picturesque hiking trails along a few of the original walkways. Leaving those trails the area presents a rugged landscape, challenging to experienced hikers.

October 17th should present some beautiful Fall colors and some thinning of the dense foliage. A perfect time to explore! Our October 2009 newsletter will have meeting times and plans for our day. Visit our website at www.westmorelandconservancy.org for information and photos of past group excursions.
Links: http://www.wildwaterways.org/ http://www.geocities.com/mattfoy2000/index.html http://www.draganjac.com/wp-content/uploads/RP1.jpg http://www.wpconline.org/dailyphotos/wpcdaily-11-9.asp http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Ellwood+City&state=PA&address=Rock+Point+Rd&zipcode=16117