On Saturday, May 15th, we held our Spring 2004 Dinner with the Westmoreland Conservancy at Tivoli's on Rodi Road. The food was great and the turn out was good and about the same as last year. Our spring photo display made its way from the Murrysville Community Center for a special appearance at the dinner. There were also aerial views of Murrysville's Kellman Nature Reserve, and a mystery photo which still has not been identified. Everyone in attendance received a potted pansy as a departing gift.
Our new president, Mount Fitzpatrick, welcomed visitors, then announced Dr Carson. Shelly Tichy, our secretary and newsletter editor, presented four awards, the last to Mount, a teddy bear. His award was ostensibly for being like Teddy Roosevelt, speaking softly and carrying a big stick.
Next Dr. Carson's gave an excellent presentation (see below), followed by the announcement of the winner of the floral display raffle by Shelly (donated by Buttercup Florist).
Dr. Carson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. He received his Ph.D. from Cornell University in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in 1993 and was subsequently a Postdoctoral Associate at Princeton University prior to coming to the University of Pittsburgh in 1994. He is a plant ecologist with active and extensive research underway in tall grass prairie in Minnesota, the Allegheny National Forest, the Monongahela National Forest, and tropical forests in Panama and Costa Rica. He has served on numerous scientific panels in Washington DC for the EPA, the National Science Foundation, and the US Forest Service.
His work, and that of many of his colleagues, demonstrates that over browsing by large populations of deer is the single greatest threat to the health, sustainability, and biodiversity of forests throughout much of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Dinner guests heard a very good and detailed speech about his scientific trials underway in these forests. He detailed the ability of a forest to redevelop in a much more diverse fashion with clear cutting. Much less than one percent of Pennsylvania's forests are actual old-growth forests, and of course he would never advocate touching those. He wanted to be clear that as a scientist, he is conducting science, and that he himself is not an active advocate of an agenda. But he did stress that the science indicates that wild flowers in particular, and the health of diverse woods in general are already suffering because of the 1.2 million deer heard, which is four times the estimated pre-European settlement size. Note that along with the flora impact goes insects, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians which depend on that flora. The circle of life is truly interdependent.
Several members showed up on May 10th to do maintenance on the McGinnis Nature reserve in preparation for the May 19th park chat walk. General cleanup was performed all along Hunter, Wallace and 286, as well as the main trails, by Mount Fitzpatrick, his wife Jan and Doug Bauman. Shelly Tichy generously provided water on the above 90 degree day! The parking lot itself had previously been cleaned up by Cary Bohl several weeks before.
While we were there, we took a quick look at the American Chestnut trees along the trails. Mount indicated that previously, he had brought a member of the American Chestnut Foundation, Dr. Bill Lord, to see the larger tree which is still living and producing fruit. That tree today has definite signs of the blight which is devastating the American Chestnut, the tree shows signs of the orange fungus in it's bark, and has multiple shoots springing up at the base of the tree.
The following is a report on the conservation bus tour by the Westmoreland County Conservation District on April 30, by Dick Byers.This was primarily a tour of sedimentation and storm water control of planned developments. The first stop was the Palmer Plan in Latrobe (owned by Arnold Palmer) which was down on an old strip-mine he bought in the 1970's. They used some type of artificial mesh to retain soil erosion from a 30 foot high bank they constructed and several sedimentation ponds that will catch the storm water and drain it slowly into 9-mile run and finally the Loyalhanna Creek.The 2nd stop was at Victoria Highlands (pictured) which is on a wooded slope. Because of the slope they had a huge catch basin for the sediment. This is a 56 acre site with 56 lots. The developer says people bought the sites for the trees, but by the time he gets the house built, most of the trees will have been removed. A wetlands was disturbed and had to be remediated. A guy from Murrysville on the tour said it was just a mosquito breeding ground anyway. I gave him a dirty look.Stop 3 was at the Legion-Keener Park in Latrobe where I played as a kid. Didn't recognize the place at all. It was a thick, brushy grown over slag pile from Latrobe Steel when I knew it with a baseball and football field carved out of the dumpsite. A dense invasive plant thicket contained a pond in the slag dump where we used to catch frogs. The site was located right beside the Loyalhanna Creek where the sewage pipes exited and dumped raw sewage. It was a very smelly place in the 1940's and early 50's. Now there are lawns, picnic pavilions and a walking trail. A hired naturalist gives nature programs and has erected kestrel boxes along the walking trail. The old frog pond is still there. Latrobe has a sewage treatment plant and the mine reclamation wetlands at St. Vincent is improving the color of the creek water. This is a successful conservation story. Latrobe has a nice community park there, a bit too manicured for my taste, but there is more bird life there (a positive indicator) and certainly an improvement over what existed before. It is well used.
The last stop after the yummy FREE lunch was at the new Wall-Mart plaza on the brownfield where the old Greengate Mall used to be. The only improvement here I could see was the old mall had no stormwater control whatsoever and all the rain from the buildings and parking lot caused flooding in Jeannette. This development (over 100 acres) has a huge sedimentation and storm water basin to release trapped storm water slowly.I wasn't wild about all the development, but I learned a lot about sedimentation and stormwater control. If development has to take place, at least it is being planned and executed with the environment in mind.
- I ask each of you to think of Conservancy goals for the coming year that are important to you. My list is as follows:
- Develop Pleasant Valley Park usage by the public.
- Increase attendance at our monthly meetings and thereby develop active participants in our many projects.
- Increase our general membership. If we apply for grand money, this is an essential way to show community support.
- Further solidify our relations with the municipality. For example, develop hiking trails in conjunction with the Parks and Recreation Department.
Please bring your goals to the may meeting for discussion. It would be great if they were also in writing. - On Saturday April 24th construction of the bridge over Pearson's Creek was begun. At various times there were five to six scouts and three to five adults (including Don Harrison and Theo van de Venne) involved in the project.
- The telephone poles were chain sawed to 20 foot lengths and the abutments were cut to five foot lengths.
- Trenches for the abutments were dug and 2B limestone was tamped into the trenches.
- V notches were cut into the abutment and with much effort the two 20 foot poles were laid into place across the stream.
- Scout Scott Ackman did an excellent job of directing the activities.
- Off site fabrication of the decking and guard rail is the next scheduled step.
- On April 6th Don and I attended a meeting dealing with the future of agriculture in Westmoreland County, sponsored by the Westmoreland Conservation District and the Penn State College of Agriculture. The main thrust was the preservation of our economically important farm lands via a direct survey done by Penn State of farmers needs, concerns and methods of helping. Much of the meeting seemed to be focusing on direct sales to the public. Although a subsidiary outcome would be to preserve rural lands, I didn't see how we would substantially benefit from participation.
- Last night a number of our members attended a meeting of groups interested in developing usage of Pleasant Valley Park. There was concern that the park could still be lost by future actions of council, if the park isn't sufficiently used. Attendees were from SLAM, FORM, EAC, Westmoreland Conservancy and scouting; as well as individuals who have an interest in the park. Initial goals will be to develop minimal parking, hiking trails, and establish liaison with the Municipality of Murrysville. The group is planning to meet on the third Monday of each month at 6:30pm in the library conference room.
The Westmoreland Conservancy held it's annual meeting and Elections in the meeting room of the Murrysville Library to nominate and elect the 2004 Officers and Board of Governors. We were pleased to see a nice sized group of members show up for this important meeting. Don Harrison gave wonderful accolades to Cary Bohl, our outgoing president, stepping down after 2 consecutive 3-year terms. She will again be eligible to run for office in one year. Here are the results of the election:
- President: Mount Fitzpatrick
- Vice President: Katie Blackmore
- Secretary: Shelly Tichy
- Treasurer: Cindy McCormick-Werns
- Governors: Doug Bauman (newly elected), Paul Bramson, Dick Byers, Charles Conway, Joanna Franz, Don Harrison, Cindy McCormick-Werns, Shelly Tichy, Theo van de Venne, Richard Wagner
- King: Lisa Hyland
- Tomer: Hank Kendall
- Flinn: Don Harrison
A memorial for Jim Dunbar at the Kellman Reserve is underway. Tree Plantings and a Memorial Plaque have been ordered. Ground preparation in progress.
Come and check out the Spring Photo Display at the Municipal Bldg. Lobby from 4/30 until 5/14
A boy scout project approved by the Westmoreland Conservancy for Potter's Corner is underway. Members of Boy Scout Troop 206 have begun to build a bridge across Pearson's Creek which runs through the King Nature Reserve and Potter's Corner. Here are some of the pictures of their efforts; pictured with the boy scouts is Mount Fitzpatrick
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PV Park
There was a meeting held to discuss possible uses of, and developing an action plan for Pleasant Valley Park. Participants were able to get everyone on the same page and talk about access and funding for the park. Tentatively there is a walk of the park scheduled for May 2 at 2pm. For more information, call 724-327-3012.
Saturday, April 24th PA Cleanways Wm Penn Hwy Clean-up was held, only half of the route was able to be cleaned up. Another scheduled cleanup is set for the morning of May 15th at 9am.
