November 6th, 2008
Last week Secretary Michael DiBerardinis, head of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), visited the Lehigh Valley for a two-day tour and the presentation of several large grants. The DCNR is charged with maintaining and preserving the commonwealth’s state parks and forest land, providing information on the state’s ecological and geologic resources, and establishing community conservation partnerships to benefit rivers, trails, greenways, local parks and recreation, regional heritage parks, open space and natural areas.
On Thursday, Secretary DiBerardinis toured Northampton County sites and presented recreation and conservation grants totaling $282,600. Palmer Township received $200,000 to improve the Bushkill Creek bike and walking path, which is an integral part of the Lehigh Valley’s extensive greenway network stretching from the Delaware River to the Appalachian Trail at Lehigh Gap. In addition, the Nature Conservancy received $82,600 to protect two parcels of land in Upper Mount Bethel Township.
The next day Secretary DiBerardinis visited sections of the D&L Trail in Lehigh County and attended a grant announcement and trail dedication at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. The Center’s Executive Director Dan Kunkle accepted a check for $200,000 to improve interpretive signage, support environmental education, and plan for a renovated visitor and education center.
After the check presentation, a ribbon cutting ceremony marked the opening of the overhauled trail section and trailhead at Lehigh Gap. Although the section is relatively short, it completes a portion of finished D&L Trail running approximately 8 miles from Slatington and Walnutport to Bowmanstown. The event brought out dozens of supporters, state and local officials, and members of the press.
D&L Conservation Resource Specialist Sherry Acevedo organized both days of events and served as indefatigable tour guide. We thank Sherry, Secretary DiBerardinis, and all of the supporters who attended the events for their commitment to conserving the natural resources of the Lehigh Valley.
Posted in Construction Updates, In the News, LVGI
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October 3rd, 2008
Work at Lehigh Gap Nature Center is entering the final phases. The new trail surface is down and crews have begun installation of a fence to separate Paint Mill Road from the D&L Trail. Trail Steward Scott Everett anticipates an official opening in late October or early November, with installation of new LGNC and D&L signage continuing throughout the fall. Please refer to the D&L blog and trail page for updates and an announcement regarding the official opening.
Take a look at the pictures below:
Posted in Construction Updates, Trail Improvements
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September 19th, 2008
Trail surfacing and trailhead redesign work continues at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. The new trail surface is down and rolled, and the trailhead, located just south of the Rt. 873 bridge, is now under construction.
Anyone who recalls the old layout will recognize the improvements: the trail and the access road will be clearly demarcated, the new trailhead will provide ample parking, and the uniform trail surface will extend the immaculate Slatington section through the Lehigh Gap.
Construction will continue for several weeks, followed by installation of fencing and new signage. For updates, check the blog or call D&L Trail Steward Scott Everett at 610-923-3548.
Posted in Construction Updates, Events, Trail Improvements
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September 11th, 2008
As noted in a previous entry, a trail surfacing and trailhead redesign project is underway on the Weissport section of the D&L Trail. On Friday, September 12, members of the community, the D&L, and local government, including Rep. Keith McCall, inspected the new trail surface, which runs from the Weissport trailhead two miles north to the Packerton trestle. Because work will continue on the trailhead, the section will only be open on weekends during the fall. We’ll keep you updated as construction continues!
Posted in Construction Updates
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September 5th, 2008
An update from D&L Outreach Coordinator Dennis Scholl:
My job as manager of the volunteer D&L Trail Tenders became even more rewarding this past week as I watched a dedicated crew of 10 Lehigh Valley Chapter volunteers build a native plant trail adjacent to the D&L Trail at the Sand Island model site in Bethlehem. This is a site the LV Tenders have been working on for 15 months. The completion of the trail and next week’s planting of nearly 2,000 native plants is the culmination of a lot of hard work. I watched 74-year-old Gerry Weiner of Nazareth and fellow retirees Joe Felker, John Cook, Ken Baatz, Charlie Derr and Gary Ritter plot the trail and secure the ties to the ground with lengths of rebar. It was hot and sweaty work, but no one complained a bit. The only break anyone took was to sip water. People using the trail yelled “thank you!” Those two words never grew old on anyone.
“The epitome of volunteerism”
A fellow from Bethlehem who bikes the trail every day stopped by on Tuesday morning and spent the next three days working with us. He was a great help. He even brought a flexible ladder that we propped up against trees to cut dead vines we couldn’t reach otherwise. On Thursday, a Lehigh University student stopped to ask if he could volunteer an hour of his time. We put him to work right away. He said he’d be back. I believe him.
I guess it’s just very heart-warming to see people come together to reach a goal. Our goal at Sand Island was to create a site where the public could be educated about the negative effects of invasive plants on the environment. Since most of the D&L Trail in the Lehigh Valley is bordered by an invasive jungle, we could have chosen a site anywhere. But we settled on 500 feet of real estate where Monocacy Creek enters the Lehigh River at the eastern tip of Sand Island.
On June 24, 2007, the Lehigh Valley Trail Tenders held their first cleanup. A dedicated core group formed and people worked throughout the winter. The City of Bethlehem took notice and responded very positively to our requests for help. They hauled out cut brush, brought backhoes to move logs that littered the site, had a large colony of Japanese knotweed sprayed, and donated 40 cubic yards of wood chips for our trail. Next week the city is bringing compost so our plants get a good dose of nitrogen to kick start their life in a new home. The whole project has been one of cooperation: volunteers with volunteers, and volunteers with municipal government.
An invitation to visit
I hope you have a moment to visit our site. If you’ve never been there before, you’ll be impressed by the very picturesque view of the Lehigh River and old Bethlehem Steel plant on the other side. Imagine not being able to see the river or the steel plant because they were obscured by a solid wall of green. That’s what the site was like before the Trail Tenders took charge. Why, it was even hard to get a breeze along the trail because the plants were so thick. Not anymore.
By the end of fall, our Learning Center will be complete and we’ll be offering history and nature programs. Next spring, the site will be alive with plants that haven’t been present there since the Lehigh Canal was built in 1827. And all of this is due to a chapter of volunteers who set forth on a common goal and pursued it with a very vigilant work ethic. To me, it’s the epitomy of volunteerism. I hope it catches on elsewhere along the D&L Trail. Heaven knows there’s plenty of room for more projects.
Posted in Construction Updates, Trail Improvements, Trail Tenders
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September 4th, 2008
This week marks the first time that the D&L is undertaking two large trail projects simultaneously. The projects are representative of the recent wave of trail improvements that have opened and transformed many segments of the D&L Trail during the past few years.
The first project is a continuation of the work being done on the trail and trailhead in the area of Lehigh Gap Nature Center in Lehigh County. The end result will be a newly paved entrance road and parking lot, with the D&L Trail running parallel. The Lehigh Gap area will be a centerpiece of the trail, and this project will ensure that all trail users have easy and safe access.
The second project will improve the Weissport trailhead, by redesigning and repaving the parking lot, and stabilize the Lehigh Canal, by replacing the eroded, earthen bank with durable, laid stone. This is a very heavily-used section of the D&L Trail, and we are looking forward to improving visitors’ experience.
Posted in Construction Updates, Trail Improvements
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June 25th, 2008
The installation of the “recycled” bridge was a great success. Aside from some minor grinding, workmen installed the 71-foot, 32-ton section of bridge with little difficulty. The event was documented by local newspapers, TV stations, and even a helicopter flying overhead. The bridge will allow access to the 16-mile Black Diamond Trail between White Haven and Mountain Top and connect one of the final missing links in the 165-mile D&L Trail.
Check out the pictures below:
Posted in Construction Updates, In the News, Trail Improvements
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June 24th, 2008
A major trail construction project is reaching a milestone this morning in Luzerne County. The D&L is bridging a gap in the trail caused by an active rail line, located in a deep cut with sheer, rock sides. Instead of fabricating a new bridge, the D&L has recycled an old, iron bridge that will be installed on freshly poured platforms. Old paint and rust were sandblasted from the bridge, prior to recoating. This was a tedious process but one that will save materials and maintain the historic character of the area.
Trail Manager Scott Everett reported Monday that “the move of the bridge from Hunlock Creek to the bridge site went extremely well today.” The bridge traveled by flat-bed tractor trailer from the work site to the installation point off of Middleburg Road, Luzerne County. Members of the press will be on hand, as the bridge is installed.
This is an important step in the construction project, but more work is necessary before pedestrians can use the bridge. Check back for pictures of the installation and updates on when the bridge will open!
Posted in Construction Updates, Trail Improvements
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June 10th, 2008
On Saturday, hundreds of trail users, including members of the press, braved the 95 degree conditions to attend the unveiling of our directional blades, listen to project updates, and help install mile markers, all as a part of our various National Trails Day celebrations.
[Allen Sachse addresses crowd in Slatington]
This was a great opportunity to celebrate the D&L Trail and increase its visibility in our region. We were also able to highlight the connections that the D&L makes between towns, cities, and rural areas. As we installed the blades and mile markers over the last week, we had an enthusiastic response from trail users who have always wondered about the length of their daily walks and rides.
[Trail Tenders show off new milemarker]
National Trails Day was the perfect time to kick off our signage program, but the work will continue throughout the summer-so look for updates!
Posted in Construction Updates, Events, In the News, Mile Markers, National Trails Day, Trail Improvements, Trail Tenders
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