EPAC is excited to spearhead the High Rocks Improvement Project. The intent of the project is to address infrastructure needs and improve the experience for all users.
Key Project Objectives:
*We will continue to add items to the list as we gather community feedback.
We are excited to welcome Kyle and Loryn from the Access Fund Conservation Team. They will be onsite until October 26. The will start by conducting basic and advanced level trainings. They will then be joined by the PA Outdoor Corp to do some much needed trail work.
Please keep an eye on social media and our events calendar so you can join them and lend a hand.
We are very thankful to our friends at Bucks County Parks. They provided the water, gator and maintenance staff to help with graffiti removal. We are are super thankful to our amazing volunteers. This is a job that we would rather not have to do but it needs to get done! We had some really bad tagging lately, and wanted the overlooks cleans before fall foliage peaked.
Though we originally got rained out, a dedicated group came out the next day to do some good work. We concentrated on invasive species removal and preparing areas for our native plants. Kind Earth Growers is helping with plugs and seeds that are set to be planted in October.
EPAC is once again honored to help DCNR and a local family remember their loved one. A crew of family and friends joined us to pour the slab and install a bench at the Open Face overlook. There is still more work to be done at this site so that the trail to the bench is easier to navigate. We hope to complete this work in the fall. Until then….sit, enjoy and remember.
The wet spring was not kind to our little park. We were happy to work with our partners at DCNT to host a spring cleanup. A small but mighty group came out to remove invasive species, repair fence and move deadfall.
EPAC is excite to install TRAFx parking and trail counters at various locations in the park. This is important because it will help land managers and EPAC better understand visitation patterns as well as provide quantitative data on park use to help secure more funding. These counting systems do not collect user data, they simply count the number of people or cars.
Another successful event for National Public Lands Day. Despite the rain and muddy conditions, our volunteers toughed it out. We repaired some steps and did some invasive species removal.
EPAC was fortunate to be award a Regional Trail Workshop Grant from WeConservePA. We partnered with Access Fund to host workshop weekend for FREE to other local climbing organizations, conservation groups and volunteers.
We did some major graffiti removal at the Vistas by Hawks Nest and the Practice Face Trail.
Our partners at Bucks County were rock stars with a water container mounted on the gator and a gas powered pressure washer.
In coordination with DCNR, a memorial bench was installed at the first Vista. Land was cleared and footings were poured during Trail Day on Sept 24. A small group followed-up with installation.
While it doesn’t remove the pain of losing a loved one, we hope everyone can find solace at this peaceful place and are honored to have helped bring it to fruition.
We had a huge crew at trail day this year which was great since we had a major rock slide to clean-up. We also patched fence holes, repainted the bridge and cleared a spot for the bench. Kind Earth Growers came out to teach folks how to collect and recast native seed.
Preliminary survey has been done for the parking lot expansion. Bucks County is replacing the portable restroom with one that is ADA compliant.
On the day of winter solstice, representatives from EPAC, DCNR and Kind Earth Growers came together to explore how we could work together and support the growth of native plants. Native plants not only support the local ecosystem but assist with erosion control as well.
The project will include collecting, “washing” and planting local seed as well as invasive species removal. A timeline is currently in the planning stages and we will reach out with volunteer opportunities as they become available. The entire process will take no less than 3 years from sow to grow so we are in it for the long haul!
About Kind Earth Growers: Kind Earth Growers is a wholesale nursery, in Ottsville PA, founded to meet the demand for native wetland and dry-site perennials used in ecological restoration, storm-water management and functional landscape design. The majority of their seed comes directly from the local area and then finds its way throughout the country.
EPAC launches campaign! Our next step is to share this information with as many people as possible and gather feedback from the community.
