Important headwaters of a wild brook trout stream in Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County have been restored, thanks to a collaborative effort between the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of State Park, Wetland Restoration LLC, Beran Environmental and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

A portion of the restoration occurred on a 1,300-acre property that WPC acquired in 2008 and subsequently conveyed to the park.

It included a spring-fed concrete swimming pool, road crossing and on-stream dams, which impacted natural wetlands and streams, including Long Run Creek, which supports naturally reproducing brook trout.

A portion of the property was named the B.K. Simon Family Forest to honor a significant donation from family members in memory of B. Kenneth Simon, a Pittsburgh businessman who founded All-Pak Inc. and was a philanthropist and longtime member of WPC.

The restoration, which began in July 2018 with surveys by WPC’s Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program and BSP’s resource management personnel, was completed in August 2020.

The result is a high-quality habitat for a diverse array of species, native flowering plants for pollinators and a beautiful landscape where visitors can hike, fish and observe wildlife.

An abandoned concrete swimming pool was removed, creating a half acre of exceptional value wetlands that provide improved habitat for waterfowl, amphibians, reptiles and multiple invertebrates including rare dragonflies.

More information is available on programs, initiatives and special events at the Western PA Conservancy website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Conservancy, Like them on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter, join them on Instagram, visit the Conservancy’s YouTube Channel or add them to your network on Linkedin.  Click Here to support their work.

The Conservancy has helped to establish 11 state parks, conserved more than 250,000 acres of natural lands and protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams, maintains 132 community gardens and other green spaces that are planted with the help of more than 11,000 volunteers and the support of more than 9,000 members in Western Pennsylvania.

(Reprinted from the latest Western PA Conservancy newsletter.)

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[Posted: Sept. 2, 2020]

9/7/2020