Inclement Weather Doesn’t Stop Volunteers from Streamside Planting Project

On the morning of June 11, a group of volunteers, including a delegation from the Catskill Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and three Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program staff members from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County and Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District braved the rain to restore a streamside forest in the Town of Olive. Under the supervision of Adam Doan, of the Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District, the volunteers planted a diverse variety of native Catskill vegetation including red maples, red oaks, and white pines. In two hours over 350 plants and trees were installed to create a stable riparian buffer.

Streamside vegetation is essential to the health of streams as they filter runoff, maintain the stability of streambanks, slow flood flows, and provide essential habitat. The landowners of this parcel worked with Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District to create a riparian buffer management plan that provides proscriptive measures to increase the stability of their section of stream and to provide a visually appealing area.

Landowners who complete a riparian corridor management plan can apply to the Catskill Stream Buffer Initiative for plant materials to restore their riparian buffer. Landowners must provide in kind support of the project and learn skills needed to keep their riparian buffer in an optimally functioning condition. Catskill Streams Buffer Initiative is sponsored locally by Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District and New York City Department of Environmental Protection.
To learn about future volunteer opportunities and for more information about Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County’s community programs in the Ashokan Watershed call 845-688-3047 or visit us online at www.ashokanstreams.org. Follow the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program on www.facebook.com.

For more information about Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County call 845-340-3990 or visit us online at www.cceulster.org or follow on www.facebook.com.