Launching the 2024 summer of service, learning, fun, and community building, The Watersmith Guild, PMSC’s environmental stewardship host site partner, collaborated with Coal Tubin’ (coaltubin.com) and Tree Pittsburgh (treepittsburgh.org) to get things done along the banks of the Stoneycreek in the Ferndale section of Johnstown, PA. Ian Smith, The Watersmith Guild’s Executive Director, shared his excitement over the community “gathering together to give back to the watershed.”
About 30 people of all ages and levels of experience gathered together on May 17, 2024 to plant native species of trees- chestnut oaks, willow, basswood, Carolina silverbell, black birch, and sycamore–to augment the riparian buffer zone along the streambank. Joe Stavish, Tree Pittsburgh, shared that these native species are being reintroduced into the area to “bring in diversity…. and fill different roles in the ecosystem:” providing cleaner air, erosion control, shade, and even invasive species control. Chad Gontkovic, Coal Tubin’, helped community members understand that the area is one of many “post-industrial sites in and around Johnstown… “this site was an industrial site for many years and also has flood debris from 1889, 1936, 1977.” Now, it is time to build up the riparian zone: “if we get the right elements in place, then nature will take over,” and begin to restore and reintroduce the bio-diversity into the zone–producing healthy ecosystems for the benefit of people, animals, land, and water in the community.
Clay Ritter, PMSC AmeriCorps member, serves with The Watersmith Guild this summer— educating young people across Western, PA on stewardship conservation efforts in the water and along streambanks. Just a few weeks into his term of service, Clay assisted in organizing the tree planting event. The Cambria County Drug Coalition (CCDC) was a sponsor of this event as part of their efforts to provide healthy alternatives for young people across the county. Madison Uhrin, PMSC member serving with the CCDC, also participated in the tree planting event. Youth, young adults, and older adults from the community spent the morning hiking, digging in the dirt and getting things done– building relationships just as much as they built up the diversity in the forest.
Later the same afternoon, additional community members gathered for a stream cleaning river paddle– removing trash from the beloved Stoneycreek and getting the river ready for a summer of learning, recreation, and opportunities for healthy choices for children, youth, and adults. There is no doubt that The Watersmith Guild and Cambria County Drug Coalition, along with all of their community partners collaborating, are making significant impacts to bring out the best of Western, PA– planting seeds for the future and making a splash toward thriving communities across the region.
