–by Adam Polinski, CRF Trailwork Coordinator
Since Autumn 2000, there has been an Annual Rocky Habitat Restoration Day each September or October at Coopers Rock, held to minimize human impact among the most popular rocks for climbing and exploring, such as the Sunset Wall Area, the Tilted Tree Area, Roof Rocks, and more. It consists of the creation and maintenance of a substantial, elaborate network of delineated trails and Impact Zone Barriers, the blocking off of unneeded ‘social trails’, and mulching exposed tree roots. All of it comes from arranging limbs and branches and logs in a system of encouragement and discouragement – delineations and blockades –encouraging people to walk one way from rock to rock, and discouraging them from walking in others – to minimize soil compaction and erosion. A long-standing alliance of WVU’s Adventure WV program, the Fairmont State University Recreation Department, and the Coopers Rock Foundation, has resulted in the success and longevity of this project.
To pull off this annual effort, which has frequently involved over 100 volunteers and over 400 Hours Worked, it takes several Prep Days, which occur on weekdays leading up to the big day on the weekend. It is on those Prep Days that volunteers gather and transport downed limbs, branches and sticks, from areas with lower environmental quality ratings, like underneath power lines and along roadsides, and place them at specific trailheads. On a later date, other volunteers carry the materials in to our restoration/protection sites, and place them, under CRF supervision.
Sooner or later it had to happen, thus, after a run of almost 20 straight Autumns, we finally had a year, for various reasons, where not enough volunteers could be lined up for the all-essential Prep Days. And without the Prep Days, the Big Day of work on the weekend cannot happen. Lemons! Thus, the need to change plans. Make lemonade!
So, CRF and AdventureWV teamed up on a number of other projects instead of habitat restoration, because, at Coopers Rock … there’s always sumthin’ to do!
On one day, a small crew cleaned out and restored to complete functionality a completely clogged culvert on Roadside Trail, a ‘trail emergency’ where water was continuously flowing out all over the trail, instead of underneath it. They also built most of a 4’ X 8’ trail bridge that will eventually be used as part of drainage improvements on the Reservoir Loop Trail.
On another day, a second small crew visited the ongoing ‘Forest Of The Future’ tree sapling project in the Overlook Picnic Area, that CRF has been working on since April 2012. CRF and volunteers have planted almost 200 native tree saplings in this heavily-used area, to be the next generation of shade trees, since decades of heavy use has prevented natural forest regeneration in this parcel. The crew weeded inside two fenced-in enclosures, and repaired fencing on two others. Of the 4 enclosures in the Overlook Picnic Area, Enclosures #3 and #4, just uphill from the round building with the green, conical roof, are doing the best. Check ‘em out!
On the third and final day of work, Sunday, October 7th, 2018, a much larger crew tackled a much larger project. Nearly 20 trail workers focused on the ‘campground hill’ section of Scott Run Trail for four hours, the upgrade of which has been a major project of CRF’s over the past two years. The day’s task was to tackle already-existing, recently-constructed drainage features along a 1,300’ trail segment, and shape them to be more accommodating to cross-country skis and mountain bikes. This was done by ‘stretching out’ each dip, water bar, and drainage ditch so that they are gently-angled instead of steep and abrupt. Using rakes, shovels, and buckets, the crew accomplished this goal throughout the entire project area. This was an important leap forward, and that ‘campground hill’ upgrade is now 95% complete. If you rode it in September, ride it again, because it’ll feel different, and better.
This cumulative effort on bridges, culverts, trails, and trees equaled 101 Hours Worked across three service outings, with 11 Hours of that total by CRF and the rest by Adventure WV staff and students.
Our Rocky Habitat Restoration efforts will be back next year, but between now and then, at Coopers Rock, one thing is for sure – there’s always sumthin’ to do!
