Natural Lands - the magazine of Natural Lands spring-summer 2020 issue | Page 11

NATURAL LANDS . SPRING/SUMMER 2020
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stretch of streams at Bryn Coed.
The massive re-forestation project
to convert 64 acres from marginal
farmland to woods will sequester
carbon for years to come and exemplifies
a natural approach to mitigate
the impacts of climate change. The
project also offers the co-occurring
benefit of improving water quality
for much of our region.
Situated within the Delaware
River watershed, Bryn Coed Preserve
contains several headwater
streams—small tributaries that
carry water into Pickering Creek and
on to the Schuylkill and Delaware
Rivers. In fact, 17 percent of all the
water flowing into Pickering Creek
originates at Bryn Coed.
The headwater streams are
particularly vulnerable to pollution
from agricultural runoff. As stormwater
flows from the land toward
the streams, the 64 acres of newly
planted trees will absorb pollutants,
improve infiltration and recharge
groundwater, and reduce erosion
and flooding.
Funding was provided by the PA
Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources’ Forest Riparian
Buffer Grant Program and the
PA Department of Environmental
Protection.
“This is one of the larger tree-planting
projects that DCNR has been
involved with,” said John Nissen,
service forester with the Bureau of
Forestry. “Personally, it’s the largest
riparian project in my coverage area
since I have been with DCNR.”
top: Debbie Beer, bottom: Ed Cunicelli