Five old dump sites in Delaware State Forest, Pike County, were reclaimed as the result of equipment cleanups in late September and early October, 2001.
"Delaware State Forest users can enjoy unspoiled scenery that was once marred by these unhealthy eyesores," stated DCNR Secretary John C. Oliver.
More than ten tons of scrap material were recovered and over 37 tons of trash were taken from the forest from the following locations: Bruce Lake Natural Area, Palmyra Township; Bushkill Road East and West, Porter Township; Camp Biff, Blooming Grove Township; and Five Mile Meadow Road, Dingman Township.
The sites stood testament to outdated waste disposal methods and weren't active in recent years. "It's very rewarding to be a part of cleaning up historic dumpsites that lay dormant for so long. It's refreshing to see sites after restoration, a real feeling of accomplishment," stated Tim Balch, assistant district forester.
PA Cleanways, DCNR's cleanup partner for the Forest Lands Beautification Program, contracted with Gary Fronk Excavating of Thompsontown and Tim Kohrs Excavating of Honesdale to clean the sites. Other private firms involved included Keystone Sanitary Landfill, Dunmore; Kramer's Recycling, McAlisterville; DMS Shredding, Wilkes-Barre; Elk Environmental Services, Reading; and Clean Earth of Maryland, Hagerstown, Md. Participating agencies included the state Department of Environmental Protection Northeast Regional Office; Pike County General Authority, Pike County Conservation District, and Philadelphia District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Because of the heavy lifting involved with this cleanup, no citizen volunteers were used.
Mounds of glass and household waste believed to have come from the old village of Promised Land were removed from the Bruce Lake Natural Area site, located off of SR 390 between the forest trail in the natural area and Panther Swamp. Gary Fronk Excavating performed the work and mulched and seeded the site upon completion.
Trash removal at Bushkill East and West sites improved the health of the forest wetlands and Saw Creek. Both sites, located off of Old Bushkill Road south of SR 402 and Porters Lake, are adjacent to a forest trail. They contained old glass and household waste generated during the 1950's and 60's from cabins at Lake Minisink and old homesteads on Old Bushkill Road. Gary Fronk Excavating was the contractor. The sites were seeded and mulched following the cleanup, returning the land to its original contour.
Tim Kohrs Excavating was the contractor for cleanups at Camp Biff, located off of High Line Road west of SR 402 and south of I-84, and Five-Mile Meadow Road, west of SR 739 and south of I-84. The trash consisted mostly of scrap metal, which was dangerous to hikers and animals. It was removed and recycled. About 50 tires were also removed from the Camp Biff site. Following excavation, the land was restored with ground cover.
These cleanups at Delaware State Forest are among 40 completed this year as part of the Forest Lands Beautification Program.
Delaware State Forest is located primarily in Pike County in northeast Pennsylvania, with portions in Monroe, Northampton, and Carbon counties. The forest totals 80,056 acres, lying in the heart of the famous Pocono Mountain Region, and its name is derived from the Delaware River, the watershed for the entire area. The river was named for the Delaware Indians who once inhabited the valley.
Also in 2001, employees from the Pennsylvania Power & Light (PPL) Corporation's Environmental Department joined forces with the Delaware Valley High School's Environmental Club and a local resident to remove trash from six sites in the Delaware State Forest on May 2, 2001. The 25 volunteers donated a total of 120 hours to beautify the following locations: Blooming Grove Trail, Long Pond Swamp Road, Conashaugh Lakes, Cowgill Road, Old Greentown Road, and Bartleson Road, all in Pike County.
In 2000, the PPL employees cleaned the Milford Reservation Tract. The Lake Laura Trail was also cleaned as a pilot site in 2000.
Learn about other illegal dump sites in state forests and parks.
This page last updated December 14, 2001.
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