Volunteers at Work
FOW Leads Clean Up for Philly Clean Up Day
On April 5, FOW led clean up at the 100 Steps area as part of Philly Clean Up day. About 250 bags of trash and recyclables were removed from the park and neighborhood. Thanks to Wissahickon Environmental Action Newtork, Philly Moutain Biking Association and all the volunteers for helping out. Thank you to the City of Philadelphia for planning such a great city-wide event.
Click here to see photos of the day.
Biggest Volunteer Day a Big Success!
 The PMBA Trail Maintenance Day on Saturday 3/22/08 was our biggest work day yet and was a huge success! 64 volunteers contributed 292 hours to a number of projects in the Wissahickon near Gorgas Lane and at different sections on the Yellow Trail.
Here's what was accomplished:
Trail Maintenance:
All of the trail project in one way on another improve stormwater runoff management and trail sustainability.
1) A trail crew made improvements to the re-route and closure on the section of Yellow Trail below Gorgas. We have been working on this stretch since December, and it keeps getting better.
2) A second trail crew cut nicks to improve drainage and made other improvements along the Demo Trail #1 section of the Yellow Trail
3) A third trail crew did some de-berming and made other improvements along the Yellow Trail near Jannette Street.
Additional projects:
4) 27 bags of trash, and various scrap metal removed
5) 16 containers of recyclable bottles were removed and recycled!
6) The concrete bridge crossing the creek was cleaned off, with much of the soil being used in the trail project closest to Gorgas.
Click here to the Philly Mountain Biking Association web site for more info!
Click here for Jon's photos!
Special Thanks to:
High Point Cafe, Craig Solomon and all the Temple students, Kelly Bostick,
Mariana Morris, Jesse Kelly, Nick Fortune, Jon Pearce, Ulla Forssen, Heidi Grunwald, Fairmount Park District 3, the trail crew leaders, and EVERYONE who volunteered their time to this project.
FOW's next monthly workday is May 10!
Click here for more information.
Great Work at Daisy Field
Rain threatened, and the air was chilly, but 30 volunteers came out to make improvements in areas around Daisy Field on February 9. Volunteers worked for about four hours. They armored and restored heavily eroded areas of trail, picked up at least 3,000 pounds of trash, including 13 tires, a sofa, shopping carts, and concrete, removed 16 crates of recyclable bottles and cans, and removed 1/4 of a huge patch of invasive bamboo. (FOW will return to the site for further clearing in the future.)
Special thanks to:
High Point Cafe
T & F Farmer's Pride Market
Philadelphia Mountain Biking Association
Heidi Grunwald
Berenice Linck
Ulla Forssen
Fairmount Park Commission
PMBA Volunteers Make a Difference
 Thanks to all the volunteers who came out on January 26 to workday led by the Philadelphia Mountain Biking Association and sponsored by FOW. The frozen ground limited what they could do, but didn't stop these volunteers from making a difference in the park! Thanks to their help, here is what was accomplished:
1) Three trees cleared from trails
2) Rolling Grade Dips (RGD's) built to prevent erosion
3) Ivy vines removed from several trees
4) Rogue, unsustainable trail closed with small boulder and other rocks
5) Chokes installed to prevent trail widening
6) Much rock staged where they will be used to pitch and build a retaining wall at a later date
7) Over a dozen bags of trash (litter) removed
Special thanks to:
High Point Cafe for their delicious coffee and dedicated support
The Wissahickon Wanderers for their exciting new participation!
Jon Pearce and Berenice Linck for taking photos
Ulla Forssen for picking up the coffee
Fairmount Park District 3 for guidance and logistical support
Click here to view photos from the day. (Scroll down to the bottom of the page.)
FOW Volunteers Improve Drainage at Valley Green
The Friends of the Wissahickon are continuing their efforts to improve the area surrounding Valley Green Inn by making it more attractive and flood resistant. Working with the Philadelphia Water Department and the Fairmount Park Commission, a drainage ditch on the south side of Valley Green Inn has been constructed to divert stormwater away from the Inn and out toward Forbidden Drive.
New head wall at Valley Green Inn
In 2007, the Water Department attempted to run a pipe from the headwall, down the slope beside the Inn, and under Forbidden Drive, but an important drainage pipe under the road could not be disturbed. Shirley Gracie, Valley Green Oversight Committee Chair, discussed the problem with Ed Stainton, leader of the Structures Committee. He developed a solution and led several volunteers in building the drainage ditch: Rich Berman (Fort Washington), David Dannenberg (Mt. Airy), Dan Mercer (Fishtown), Brian Murphy (Mt. Airy), and Mike Sounders (Mt. Airy).
It took them a month to dig out the soil, position stones to slow the flow of water, build another head wall behind the Inn, and construct a sitting wall with large, flat rocks at the end of the ditch along Forbidden Drive. The result blends in well with its natural surroundings.
Dan Mercer, Shirley Gracie, and Ed Stainton enjoy
the new sitting rocks at Valley Green.
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