April 2nd was a pleasant, warm and sunny spring day for the 10 staff, family and Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition Volunteers who worked to plant hundreds of trees and shrubs along Slippery Rock Creek in Butler County.

The Slippery Rock Campground has seen one of its main features-- Slippery Rock Creek-- succumb to much erosion on its banks.

With many trailers located close to the edge of the bank, erosion control measures were needed.

The stream bank planting served to provide long-term strengthening of the bank through the thick, dense roots of the trees and shrubs which were planted.

The staff and helpers worked all day to plant approximately 400 black willow trees, 400 silky willow shrubs, 400 sandbar willow shrubs, 100 speckled alders and 250 of a variety of other plant species, which included serviceberry, silky dogwood, pin oaks, sugar maple, elderberry and chokecherry.

The willow trees where chosen as live stakes specially because they root easily due to a unique root hormone production and very dense roots.

This project was made possible thanks to a Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund Grant.

Special thanks also goes out to C.J. Morgante at EnviroSeeds, the supplier of the plants.

Volunteers look forward to seeing how their efforts pay off in stabilizing the stream bank at the campground.

The planting took place in challenging conditions, as the bank was very slippery with mud!  Not many people think of erosion as a common problem for aquatic habitats, but it has led to increased pollution and sedimentation in many streams and rivers, clogging these waterways and causing declines in fish and other species.

Hopefully the problem at the campground is now behind us!

For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and how to get involved, visit the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition website.

(Reprinted from the April Catalyst newsletter from the Slippery Rock Watershed Coalition.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)

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[Posted: April 16, 2020]

4/20/2020