Past Projects

Flintstone Creek Demonstration Project

During my tenure as Camp Director of Covenant Village, I helped to secure a $29,000 Growing Greener Grant for the camp. Flintstone Creek flows through the Covenant Village property, joins Town Creek which is a tributary of the Potomac River, and ultimately blends into the Chesapeake Bay. Over the last few years, there has been a growing interest on the part of local citizens in the quality of the environment and how government regulations aimed at cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay may affect private property rights. Several local groups have formed including a landowners group, a steering committee composed of private landowners and public employees, and a water quality monitoring association.

Through involvement on the Town Creek Watershed Steering Committee, I learned that grant money was available for non-profit corporations to implement various practices that would benefit the environment -- especially practices which would address water quality issues. Due to past land use, current conditions, convenient location, and a desire to engage in environmental education, we realized that the camp was in a unique position to apply for a grant to demonstrate several best management practices within a relatively small area.

In the spring of 2000, Covenant Village Camp received the grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

The purpose of the project is to alleviate problems such as runoff from gravel roads and stream fords, and improve the ability of the land to filter runoff by increasing the width of the forest border along the stream and the size of an adjacent wetland. In addition, the project attempts to improve wildlife habitat in general with tree and shrub plantings, and songbird habitat in particular. An informational kiosk has been placed adjacent to the demonstration area.

The landscape design assistance was supplied by Ecosystem Recovery Institute.
The plants were supplied by Sylva Native Nursery and Seed Company. Supervision of wetland reclamation construction and volunteer planters provided by Juls Wood.
Many thanks to the members of Faith Presbyterian Church and the students from the FSU Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship group who donated their time to plant over 1500 trees, shrubs, wetland plants and wildflowers!