Musser Gap Greenway in Centre County. Submitted Photo Verdant mountainsides, open farmland and sprawling suburban communities — these and other diverse landscapes offer a mosaic of habitats along Route 45 in Pennsylvania’s Centre County.
Throughout each meanders a small stream — Slab Cabin Run — and the Musser Gap Greenway.
This new trail is a part of Penn State’s land conservation project that aims to connect the residents of State College with the Rothrock State Forest, while protecting the natural resources, especially the groundwater resources beneath the surface.
A new project begins
A boon to outdoor recreationists and nature lovers, the Musser Gap Greenway is a 355-acre property that is a collaboration between Penn State University and Clearwater Conservancy, a local environmental non-profit.
It all began in the early 90s when Penn State acquired farmland from the Mellon Family Trust and the Richard Mellon Foundation.
Then, in 2006, Clearwater Conservancy purchased additional acreage from a developer intent on building housing that would have negatively impacted groundwater recharge in the region.
Today, the property features about 100 acres that is tucked away into the Rothrock State Forest on the south side of Tussey Mountain while the remaining 250 acres is currently under cultivation for agriculture.
Leading the project and its initiatives is Musser Gap Conservation Director Mike Toolan.
After graduating from Kutztown University in 2018 with a degree in Environmental Science, Toolan worked at the Penn State Arboretum managing natural areas and other projects before getting hired as the Musser Gap Conservation Director in early 2023.
To determine the goals of this project, a Steering Committee was formed.
“Based on all this research and expert input, they settled on a few specific goals, primarily to steward the site’s natural resources, but also to educate, make sure it’s an educational space related to ecology and hydrology,” said Toolan, adding that the project aims to preserve the habitats that make the region special. “We also want to showcase this really beautiful natural aesthetic, even pastoral aesthetic that people really value in this area.”
Above all else, Toolan wants to make sure that the trails are safe and accessible so everyone can enjoy the natural resources offered by the greenway.
Protecting habitat and water quality
In addition to protecting land for outdoor enthusiasts, Toolan said the protection of forest and grassland habitats is important for groundwater recharge in the Spring Creek watershed.
“This site is a really important spot for ground water collection and infiltration,” he said. “One of the biggest priorities for this site is managing water quality for people.”
The water from Musser Gap makes its way through a system of underground caverns as well as Slab Cabin Run to well fields downstream where the town of State College and Penn State University receive their drinking water. This reflects the region’s Karst landscape, a geological feature that is abundant in subsurface limestone that forms large openings such as caves and sinkholes.
This also means that groundwater recharge is vitally important for the region. Since the town of State College is not downstream of any major river, it must draw nearly all of its drinking water from these underground resources.
Toolan also emphasized that the site has several habitat restoration projects underway including a riparian buffer that is officially managed by Clearwater Conservancy, a local environmental nonprofit.
According to Clearwater’s Streamside Projects Coordinator Jill Barskey, riparian buffers are important to protecting water quality because buffers “minimize impacts from stormwater runoff, shade streams and keep water cool, and stabilize the streambanks and prevent soil erosion.”
Barskey has been working with Toolan since 2022 to revegetate the streamside of Slab Cabin Run. As of right now, many of these newly planted trees are still protected by tree tubes and require volunteer support and care, but Barskey hopes the future of the streamside buffer will be less intensive management.
“I would like to see the trees grow up and turn into the forest they should be,” she said.
Toolan is also working to protect the region’s pastoral landscape.
“We’re looking to restore some older less fertile agricultural land into grassland habitat,” said Toolan. “Additionally, we’re also thinking of ways that we can convert some of the traditional agriculture to more regenerative agriculture so that we can reduce some of the ecological impacts of those activities on the site.”
These regenerative farming techniques and grassland habitats are important for slowing stormwater runoff during heavy rain and flood events. Fortunately, they serve a dual purpose and also preserve the pastural aesthetic that Toolan said is so important to the community.
Fostering relationships
Musser Gap’s multi-faceted approach to land management has fostered valuable relationships between multiple stakeholders.
“The relationship part of the project is honestly something that I didn’t really think all that much about before I came on, but it turns out to maybe be the biggest aspect of the project,” said Toolan. “It almost seems like some of these relationships spring up almost spontaneously just because of the sheer number of stakeholders involved.”
One of their primary stakeholders, the Wassons, lease greenway land from Penn State to operate their farm. Through this relationship, the Wassons are able protect their livelihood while their land is professionally managed.
The official manager of the riparian buffer, Clearwater Conservancy, has been a fixture in the Centre County region purchasing and managing lands to meet conservation goals, primarily through conservation easements.
The group has been an integral part of the project as it has actively managed the riparian buffer as a part of its Slab Cabin Run Initiative, a conservation project that aims to protect the water supply in the Centre region.
The Musser Gap Greenway project is still in its early stages, but it has already succeeded in facilitating initiatives that meet the needs of people in the Centre region community – farmers, hikers, naturalists and residents. All of whom rely on the region’s groundwater resources.
HERYN program’s West
Branch expansion a success
The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association’s popular HERYN — Helping Engage our River’s Youth with Nature — kayaking and fishing program held a one-day opportunity on July 10 at the Bald Eagle State Forest under the leadership of Regional Director Andrew Bechdel.
A new group of kids, ages 9-13, enjoyed kayaking and fishing opportunities at the park’s 1,000-acre reservoir as well as learning about conservation from the association’s interns.
They were among the dozen students who participated in the first expansion of the original HERYN experience offered at the 1,000-acre Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir, a popular boating, fishing and swimming destination in Centre County.
The participants were divided into two groups and rotated through kayaking and fishing instruction before learning about watersheds, pollution and how they can make positive improvements at home that can help the nearby aquatic ecosystem.
The Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association is offering two more HERYN expansion days, both at the Hills Creek State Park near Wellsboro under the leadership of Regional Director Emily Shosh.
Nearly 50 people learn
about birding on Hiawatha
Nearly 50 people participated in the July 16, Floating Classroom aboard the Hiawatha Paddleboat in Williamsport hosted by the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association.
The Floating Classroom featured specifics on the Louisiana Waterthrush and how it is such a good indicator of clean water resources, how people can help as citizen scientists and general birding tips.
The theme was focused on the Louisiana Waterthrush, general birding and citizen science.
Presenters included West Branch Regional Director Andrew Bechdel on the lower level with an overview of the Louisiana Waterthrush and the characteristics that make it an important waterway indicator and how people can be valuable citizen scientists.
On the upper level, the Lycoming Audubon was represented by Bonalyn Mosteller and Joan Horton who shared general birding skills, an overview on binocular use and participants looked for species while the cruise progressed. They discussed various species that would be common to find along the river ecosystem.
Five more Floating Classroom programs are scheduled for the 2024 season. Check them out and get your tickets while space remains at middlesusquehannariverkeeper.org/floating-classroom.html .
BACK WOODS BASS RESULTS
Week of July 8
Bob Strunk reports results from the Back Woods Bass Harveys Lake Wednesday night Lunker Tournament, the Back Woods Bass Harveys Lake Friday Night Tournament and the Monday Night River Tournament.
Monday Night River Tournament
1st Place: John Centak/Chet Williams 6.23 lbs
Also won Lunker Award 1.74 lbs
2nd Place: Bill Daubert/Jimmy Mattioli 5.50 lbs
3rd Place: Joe & Wyatt Fredricks & Dan Lukashewski 5.30 lbs
4th Place: Bob & Sheldon Strunk 5.03 lbs
Harveys Lake Wednesday Night Lunker
1st Place: Gary Collins 3.84 lbs
2nd Place: Travis Sciandra 3.14 lbs
3rd Place: Jake Seymour 2.93 lbs
4th Place: Kevin Seymour 2.81 lbs
5th Place: Howard Hazeltine 2.80 lbs
6th Place: George Hogan 2.51 lbs
7th Place: Nate Hazeltine 2.49 lbs
8th Place: Greg Mikulski Sr. 2.47 lbs
9th Place: Justin Kubilus 2.37 lbs
10th Place: Gary Mikulski 2.25 lbs
Harveys Lake Friday Night Tournament
1st Place: Ryan Spencer/Joe McGraw 12.52 lbs
Also won Lunker Award 4.00 lbs
2nd Place: John & Evan Stravinski 9.80 lbs
3rd Place: Kevin & Jake Seymour 8.80 lbs
4th Place: Brad Rinehimmer/Silas Farrow 8.37 lbs
5th Place: Travis Sciandra/Gary Collins 7.85 lbs
6th Place: Dustin & Jacob Sult 3.21 lbs
7th Place: Randy Ritsick/Chris Stefalo 2.94 lbs
Stream restoration, dam removal project set
to begin on Spring Creek in Centre County
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) this week announced that a stream restoration project that will include the removal of two low head dams along Spring Creek in Benner Township, Centre County, will begin on July 22.
The project is expected to last approximately one month.
While work is being completed, a portion of Spring Creek Canyon Trail located between the PFBC’s H.R. Stackhouse School shooting range and Rockview Road, and the PFBC parking area at Rock Road will be temporarily closed to the public.
Removal of the dams and their intake structures from Spring Creek will restore natural flows to the stream and improve passage and habitat quality for aquatic life including wild trout. Similar to other habitat enhancement projects that occur in a stream channel, signs of construction may be evident downstream such as increased turbidity.
The PFBC thanks the public for their patience and understanding as these improvements are completed.
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