Goat
Hill Serpentine Barrens Natural Area in Valley Forge State Forest,
Chester County, was the recipient of a face-lift Saturday, March
20, 2004. Despite a recent late-season snowstorm, skies turned
sunny and melted the remaining snow, making the day perfect
for a cleanup.
Thirteen
volunteers worked hard bagging trash, separating tires and scrap
metal, and donating a total of 65 hours to the project. A backhoe
pulled super sacks filled with the trash to the top of the slope,
filling a 30-yd rolloff. Over three tons of trash and 38 tires
were removed from the site.
PA
CleanWays, Inc. and Valley Forge State Forest personnel worked
with volunteer groups from the Nature Conservancy, Chester County
Juvenile Probation and Matlack Tree Service.
In
addition, Monterey Refuse Service donated a portion of the rolloff,
Southeastern Chester County Refuse Authority provided trash
disposal, West Nottingham Township donated disposal credits,
Super Fresh grocery store donated beverages for volunteers,
Chester County Health Department donated aerial photographs,
Herr's potato chip company donated snacks, WAWA donated beverages,
and Matlack Tree Service donated backhoe services.
The Goat Hill Serpentine Barrens Natural Area protects a nationally
rare ecosystem of pitch pine and hardy plants that can endure
the metal-laden soil formed from the underlying serpentinite
rock.
Valley Forge State Forest Cleanup Team
Chester County Health Department
Chester County Juvenile Probation
Herr's
Local Volunteers
Matlack Tree Service
Monterey Refuse Service
Nature Conservancy
PA CleanWays, Inc.
Southeastern Chester County
Refuse Authority
Super Fresh
Valley Forge State Forest Employees
WAWA
West Nottingham Township
|
DCNR
encourages Chester County residents with questions about recycling
and proper disposal to contact their county Recycling Coordinator
at (610) 344-5940.
Valley
Forge State Forest is comprised of 912 acres, spread out over
six separate tracts located in Berks, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh,
Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.
The forest is home to four unusual natural areas that are open
to the public. These areas include Goat Hill Serpentine Barrens,
which protects a nationally rare ecosystem of pitch pine and
hardy plants that can endure metal-laden soil formed from the
underlying serpentinite rock, and Little Tinicum Island, a forested
tidal flat in the Delaware River, accessible only by boat. Also
included are the David R. Johnson Natural Area and the Ruth
Zimmerman Natural Area.
