| Trees for the Trail: Reforestation |
"The best time to plant trees is 25 years ago," one of our reforestation volunteers reminded us. "The second best time is today!" Their recent efforts, however, were not second-best, but whole-hearted and productive.
Having started at 1:00 p.m. Sunday Nov. 1
st, the digging teams, water teams, mulch teams, species coordination, and planting teams were all humming along like clockwork as dusk set in. By the end of the day, the Friends volunteers had planted 60 trees along the trail between Fosters and Loveland.
Rick Forrester nurtured the almost 200 seedlings purchased by the Friends in his backyard garden all last spring and summer. When dormancy set in this fall, the potted trees were ready to be moved to their new homes, replacing invasive honeysuckle and ash trees fallen to the Emerald Ash Borer . . .
Read More
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Mel Hensey Culvert Flows Again
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by Paul Morgan & Janet Slater
When FLMSP volunteers Bruce Cortright, Paul Morgan, and Don Hahn came upon fellow volunteer Mel Hensey near Fosters that day in 2012, he had dried blood on his forehead from an accident earlier in his work session. His wavy white hair made him look like Samuel Clemens, and the blood contrasted starkly against his face and hair. He was working by himself, shoring up some horizontal posts above a rock wall to prevent further erosion into a distinct V-shaped gulley on the river side of the trail.
The men asked him if the rock-and-cement wall he was working on had been built as a culvert outlet for drainage under the original railroad tracks. "There's no culvert in this spot," Mel said. "No way."
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| Wooden You Like a Smooth Table? |
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Wood bees who drilled holes in the picnic table near the Butterworth historical marker north of Loveland will now have to dine elsewhere. The table's original untreated wood (shown below) has been replaced with treated lumber and sealed by FLMSP volunteers Dave Diersing (pictured above) and Mike Egan. Thanks, guys, for the now-smooth table!
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What Can YOU Do in an Hour?
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- Plant 5 trees
- Refinish a table with a friend
- Pick up litter
- Write an article
- Stain a kiosk
- Clean brush from a bridge
- Take a dozen photos
- Clean 5 signs
- Clear a culvert pipe
If even a quarter of the thousands who enjoy our trail would give back just one hour to help maintain it, that would be enough. As FLMSP board member Paul always says,
Please send an email with your contact information and how you would like to give your ONE HOUR to
[email protected]
.
Ongoing Volunteer Needs
- Help with regular maintenance on a trail section near you
- Tow the FLMSP blower to clear the trail of leaves and debris
- Publicize FLMSP at community events; we'll provide materials
- Help manage trail counters and their data files
- Write for our newsletter
- Provide photos of trail users (especially families) for our website
To respond to these needs or learn about other needs, please visit our
Volunteer webpage.
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| What's This? |
Can you identify this relic of our trail's past, found by Linda Combs and Bridget Hoffer? Have you found an old bottle, a railroad spike, or some other interesting artifact near the trail? Let us know by sending an email to
[email protected]
. We'll share your answers and discoveries in a future issue.
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Friends of the Little Miami State Park is a nonprofit organization devoted to the preservation and enhancement of the Little Miami State Park. We assist the Ohio Department of Natural Resources with development planning, capital improvements, and safety concerns, as well as providing most of the maintenance of the park.
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Williamsburg-Batavia Hike Bike Trail Expands
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Working Together: ODNR,FLMSP
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