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Japanese Knotweed Removal Day

May 17th 2008

Knotweed 2007 was a huge Success! Thanks to all of the folks that made the day an overwhelming success. 65 people participated, accumulating 520 volunteer hours and clearing approximately 8 acres of Japanese Knotweed. Our efforts were focused on the three islands located about 3 miles downstream from the Middle Yough launch area. This area was selected by the Ohiopyle State Park staff. The islands, once a favorite lunch stop for river users had been entirely overgrown with JK, eliminating all native species and making the island impossible to enjoy. Due to being in the middle of the river (like good islands), spraying the plant with chemicals is just not an option, leaving the only remedy available for removing the plant is mechanical means, in our case the, Youghiogheny WEED WACKER.

Participants were:

Girlscout Unit 1918 Venetia, PA
Girl Scout Unit 1055 Sewickley, PA
Boy Scout Troop 123 Vintondale, PA
Girlscout Unit 1938 Canonsburg, PA
Boy Scout Troop 142 Stafford, VA

Mark your calender for May 17th, 2008 to join us next year. If you didn't make it for this year - here is what happens: You, Wilderness Voyageurs and Ohiopyle State Park are going to whoop up on this nasty, ugly destructive plant. What is Japanese Knotweed you ask? It isInvasive Exotic species that becomes a monoculture in riparian zones. Still not sure what that means… This plant takes over the stream banksand crowds out native plants, like Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron and some rare plants that disappearing from our Pennsylvania forests.

Why do you care? Because when native plants are lost wildlife, such as otters & birds among others, lose protective cover, and food supplies. Japanese Knotweed also impacts aquatic life by increasing the rate of soil erosion, this killing the small bugs that fish eat and making life difficult to "breath" thru their gills.

Are you convinced that you need to help?

Great!

How do we help?
We will float the Middle Yough, class I & II in rafts and duckies to access the riverside plant. Each scout unit will be assigned a specific area on the river where they will remove the plant by cutting and pulling it from the river bank. State Park personnel and volunteers from local conservation groups will be on hand at each riverside location to help direct your efforts.

Wilderness Voyageurs will provide all river equipment and transportation to the Middle Yough from our base in Ohiopyle.

The cost is $10.00 per person.

You will receive 8 hours of GOOD TURN for AMERICA credit

As a reward and a thank you; Wilderness Voyageurs is offering a Lower Yough whitewater rafting trip on May 18th, 2008 for $32.00 a person (savings of $25.00).

SPACE IS LIMITED MUST RESERVE IN ADVANCE

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