The Friends of the Wissahickon has been awarded grants from REI and the McLean Contributionship for two Sustainable Trails Initiative projects.

STI is a multi-year project to make the 50 miles of National Recreation Trails in Wissahickon Valley Park a physically and socially sustainable system that works for all park users.

The REI grant of $15,000 will fund work at Kitchen’s Lane, where FOW will close two dangerous, rapidly eroding sections of trail totaling 800 feet. These closures will be replaced with 700 feet of new trails that are more sustainable and encourage proper use of the trail. In addition, FOW will restore approximately 1.75 acres of habitat through native plantings and invasive plant removal.

The grant from the McLean Contributionship in the amount of $25,000 will support the installation of a large back porch with a living green roof at the Wissahickon Environmental Center. This project is part of Stage 4 of the Sustainable Trails Initiative, in which FOW will restore and enhance the WEC building, also known as the Tree House, and its immediate grounds, and rehabilitate and restore 3.3 miles of adjacent trails used as an outdoor classroom.

7/30/2012