A
four-week cleanup project in Tuscarora State Forest began with
sunshine and enthusiasm on the morning of March 22, 2003. Volunteers
and forest personnel could not have asked for better conditions,
considering the fact that the area was covered with a foot of
snow just days earlier.
The
results of the initial effort by the 35 volunteers were very
impressive. A combined 165 hours were donated by the tireless
workers to remove 531 bags of household trash, dozens of bulky
furniture items and car parts, and 474 tires from the first
section of the 3-mile stretch.
The Thompsontown
Corner Deli donated lunches for all of the Volunteers. Schlegels
Groceries, of East Salem, donated sodas and snacks for the morning
break. Portable facilities for volunteers and contractors were
provided at a reduced price by James Parson - Septic Tank Cleaning
of Port Royal.
Tuscarora State Forest Cleanup Team
Cocolamus Creek Disposal Services
Environmental Restoration, Inc.
James Parson's Septic Tank Cleaning
Local Volunteers
PA CleanWays of Mifflin County
Schlegels Groceries
Thompsontown Corner Deli
Tuscarora State Forest Employees
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Due
to the high percentage of trash on steep terrain and loose,
rocky ground, Environmental Restoration, Inc. of Courtdale,
PA removed an additional 40 tons of the debris and 5,576 tires.
Trash was hauled by Cocolamus Creek Disposal Services and
properly disposed of at the Mifflin County Landfill. Tires
were hauled to Mahantango Enterprises, Inc. of Liverpool to
be recycled.
Providing
knowledge and assistance for this cleanup project was the
Juniata County Planning Office, the South Central Regional
office of DEP, the Mifflintown office of Penn DOT, the Lewistown
office of Norfolk Southern R.R., and supervisors from Milford
Township.
Joining the
cleanup crew was Juniata County District Justice Jacqueling
Leister, who expressed her hope "that residents will
find legal ways to dispose of trash, so that future generations
may enjoy the natural beauty of our area."
Because
the Denholm site was experiencing active dumping, landowners
and local residents agreed to monitor the area. To make the
monitoring job easier and as a deterrent to future dumping,
PennDOT installed an earthen berm behind the guide rail on
the horseshoe turn at the top of the mountain and at all other
pull-off areas along the 3-mile stretch.
For more information
about recycling and proper disposal in Juniata County, call
Bill Stong,
Juniata County Recycling Coordinator, at 717-436-7729.
Tuscarora
State Forest is comprised of 91,165 acres, located in
Cumberland, Franklin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, and Perry
counties. Many of the forest's bridges and trails were constructed
by men who worked in six Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
camps in the forest, starting in 1933.
The vast acreage offers numerous recreational opportunities.
There are four state parks in the forest: Big Spring State
Park, Colonel Denning State Park, Fowlers Hollow State Park,
and Little Buffalo State Park.
Learn
about other
illegal dump sites in state forests and parks.
This page last updated July 8, 2003.
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