CONSERVATION CORNER
A weekly blog for all things conservation
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By: Joe Quatrini, Technical Team Leader, BCCD Recently, the Bradford County Commissioners made a huge commitment to watershed rehabilitation. Using money from the Act 13 Unconventional Gas Well Fund, the Commissioners have dedicated $200,000 per year toward the restoration of streams to reduce erosion, prevent property loss, protect infrastructure, and improve flood resilience. Building off past successes of the County Stream Initiative program, the commissioners are entrusting BCCD with the administration of these new funds. The funds will be utilized in three critical stream areas: stream stabilization, emergency stream response, and to further the Bradford County stream pilot program. Currently, the Commissioners have designated $110,000 to stream stabilization, $75,000 to emergency stream response, and $15,000 to the stream pilot program. Hopefully, this funding will last for years to come and significant natural resource restoration can be accomplished.
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 By: Chad Gadsby, Service Forester, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Throughout 2019, I fielded numerous calls regarding various tree species that were sick and appeared to be dying. The trend started in May and persisted through leaf drop. The common theme was that the trees and shrubs in question were generally suffering from fungal leaf diseases. The weather pattern that started in 2018 and carried through early June 2019 brought feet of rain to the region. It also resulted in cooler than average temperatures. This weather pattern provided the perfect scenario for fungal development. As a result, we saw various fungal diseases impacting apple, cherry, conifers, maples, and oak to name a few. Some cases were so severe that the trees were completely defoliated. By: Tess Flynn-Belles, Natural Resource Specialist
On September 3, 2019, the Bradford County Commissioners will open the application period for a new round of the successful County Stream Initiative Program. Since 2006, the Commissioners have worked with the Bradford County Conservation District to implement this program which has completed over 80 stream restoration projects, many of which have helped protect threatened homes and businesses from streambank erosion. As a result, over 21,000 feet (or 4 miles) of degraded streambank has been rehabilitated. Other accomplishments include annual sediment reductions of approximately 7,300 tons resulting in nitrogen and phosphorus reductions of 18,000 pounds and 7,300 pounds, respectively. Additionally, nearly 8 acres of forested riparian buffer have been created or enhanced adjacent to these completed projects. Some of the Best Management Practices that have been used to complete these projects are rock rip-rap toe protection, barbs, weirs, stacked rock walls, and log deflectors. |
AuthorsVarious staff at the Bradford County Conservation District Archives
January 2025
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