October 21 and October 22 were beautiful days to plant 650 trees for healthy streams along a tributary of Doe Run Creek in West Marlborough Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Amid calls from a nearby great blue heron, volunteers from Chester County Farm Bureau, Exelon Generation, Resolution Life, Wilmington Trust, Young Business Leaders of Southern Chester County, and the community helped Stroud Water Research Center to plant 10 species of trees and shrubs along the small stream.
The planting will help to buffer the small stream from nearby barnyard activity. Planting forested buffers is one of the key best management practices used by the Stroud Center’s Robin L. Vannote Watershed Restoration Program to help farmers and landowners better protect their streams.
In addition to the protection the buffer will provide the stream, the Stroud Center will be using the planting to study the growth rates of trees using two different types of tree stakes. Research trials like this one help the Stroud Center’s scientists and restoration professionals continue to improve the success rate of plantings.
After the trees were planted, volunteers helped to lay stone mulch around the base of each tree. Stroud Center’s research trials have shown that this is an effective and cost-efficient way to protect the seedlings from rodent damage and plant competition.
Funding for this project was provided by TreeVitalize. To learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities and other events, visit the events page.
About Stroud Water Research Center
Stroud Water Research Center advances knowledge and stewardship of freshwater systems through global research, education, and watershed restoration and to help businesses, landowners, policymakers, and individuals make informed decisions that affect water quality and availability around the world. Stroud Water Research Center is an independent, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
