The Center for Dirt & Gravel Road Studies held its 4th Annual Maintenance Workshop and awards program in Coudersport on June 28-30. The 3-day titled “Better Roads, Cleaner Streams,” brought together 225 conservation district, state & national forestry, municipal elected officials, municipal road maintenance professionals and road industry vendors to participate in both classroom and field exercises aimed at “how-to” demonstrations of environmentally sensitive maintenance practices and techniques.

“This was the first time we’ve taken the workshop on the road to a host community, and that created some intriguing logistical challenges, but the event came off wonderfully,” commented Kevin Abbey, Center Director. “The workshop continues to grow in popularity each year so we were very fortunate to have 2 actively involved local host agencies working with us –the Potter County Conservation District and the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) Susquehannock Forest District 15 Office.”

Included in this year’s workshop for the first time was a “Township Day” tailored to municipal road maintenance personnel. It featured a cross pipe installation demonstration, maintenance grading techniques on Driving Surface Aggregate (DSA) material and a road diagnostic walk through on Cobb Hill Road, an identified road runoff pollution site in Allegany Township, Potter County. Each of these guided field trips showcased “hands-on” environmentally sensitive maintenance practices that are geared to prevent sediment pollution of local rivers and streams.

Conservation district representatives, state forestry employees and pollution prevention specialists took center stage with classroom sessions on natural drainage principles, roadside vegetation management and road grading techniques for Driving Surface Aggregate material.

Special award presentations were made to: Charlie Schwarz, recently retired Tiadaghton District 12 Assistant Forester, for his 37+ years of forestry stewardship and strong support of environmentally sound maintenance of state forestry roads; and Dr. Peter Ryan, President of God’s Country Chapter of Trout Unlimited, for his leadership role in the founding of Pennsylvania’s Dirt & Gravel Road Program and continued involvement with Potter County’s Conservation District Board.

For more details, email or call Kevin Abbey at (814) 863.5956.

7/9/2004