1/14/2008 - Friends and Volunteers Plant Trees on Wetland Mitigation Site

Many of America’s streams have been rerouted through the ages to facilitate land use such as agriculture and development. However, this can have devastating effects on the functions these streams perform. Now, efforts are being made to restore some of these streams to their original meandering path.

When streams or rivers meander, it slows the flow of the water, and reduces the effects of erosion to the stream banks.  Thus, allowing richer, healthier vegetation to grow and making it more suited for wildlife. 

During the September 2007 meeting, the Friends of CRNWR voted to partner with Southern Conservation Corporation to help restore land where stream mitigation was taking place. The land is located behind the Refuge’s Environmental Education and Recreation Area.

The Friends and other volunteers helped to unload, place, and plant over 4,000 trees during the month of December and the first two weeks of January. This task required over 500 hours of volunteer work not including the hours put in by the Marshall County High School’s Future Farmers of America group.

The trees planted consists of bottomland hardwood species such as willow oak, shingle oak, pin oak, and swamp chestnut oak just to name a few. Part of the partnership was for the Friends to monitor the trees for a number of years after planting. This is to observe the success of the trees.

This project was a great opportunity to give back to the environment, and the Friends want to thank all of those involved.