From 2012 to 2018, the McKean County Conservation District used grants from the Environmental Stewardship Fund to implement best management practices (BMPs) on 11 family farms in the area. The BMPs have helped reduce pollution and sedimentation in nearby tributaries to the Allegheny River by as much as 50%. These projects included: Stream crossings […]
Better Farming Practices, Cleaner Water
Funding from the Environmental Stewardship Fund enabled the Lycoming County Conservation District (LCCD) to implement a number of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) that drastically reduced the amount of polluted water flowing from a local farm into nearby waterways. The heaviest-used area of the farm—a steep hillside where the herd of cows congregated—caused most […]
Restoring Mill Run
The Mill Cove Environmental Area and Education Center is a popular spot for outdoor recreation and nature education in Tioga County. The area features hiking trails, a camping area, picnic pavilions, wildlife habitat, and fishing spots, including Mill Run, which flows into Mill Cove. However, erosion along Mill Run had become a major problem. […]
Raising Rainbow Trout in Treated Mine Drainage
At one time there were over 100 mine discharges in the Toby Creek watershed. Thanks to the persistent efforts of the Toby Creek Watershed Association, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the federal Office of Surface Mining, almost all of the discharges are controlled. Members of the Toby Creek Watershed Association began cleaning up […]
Marilla Bridge Reservoir Trail
The Marilla Bridge Reservoir Trail, part of the Tuna Valley trail system, was constructed with help from the Environmental Stewardship Fund. The one-mile trail winds through three newly constructed pedestrian bridges and past a historic 19th-century reservoir, while offering spectacular views of the surrounding forest. “The scenery is wonderful,” said Sara Andrews, project coordinator for […]