THE FRIENDS OF The Friends

VOL XI ISSUE 1 SPRING/SUMMER 2018 Join the Streams Cleanup Project on April 21! The Friends of Ridley Creek Gradyville Road from the INSIDE THIS ISSUE State Park will be celebrating east, this bridge is at the Earth Day Weekend this bottom of the hill just before year by working with the the Ridley Creek State Park CRC Streams 1 Chester Ridley Crum (CRC) entrance. The equestrian Cleanup Watershed Association trail runs under the bridge at their 21st Annual CRC at this location. For safety Streams Cleanup. The event reasons we do not intend to Phillip 2 Schmidt will be on Saturday, April 21, clean up along Gradyville Road. There will be a Ash Tree 3 CRC Event sign placed Removal on the bridge to make the area easy to find. Hyner View 4 If you volunteer, you State Park will be provided with work gloves, bottled Friends 6 water, and granola Photo bars. You will also Contest receive a CRC T-shirt for your participation. You should wear a PPFF Photo 6 Contest long sleeve shirt, long pants, and be prepared to wade through the Friends 7 Creek to complete our Picnic mission. from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Calendar of 7 We will clear the creek Events Our work area will be the bridge on Gradyville Road of any debris and place it where the road crosses in trash bags for collection over Ridley Creek. We are by CRC. Trash bags will recruiting Friends volunteers be placed along Gradyville Editor to clean up the stream and Road for pickup at the end Joan Nikelsky banks on both sides of the of the event. Once we clear bridge and we invite you to the area around and under Designer be one of them! the bridge and place our Cathleen Bolduc collected trash for pickup, When traveling down cont. on page 6

Friends of RCSP Voicemail Please contact your Friends at any time with your comments and/or questions. Leave a message at 484-442-0223, and someone will get back to you ASAP! PAGE 2 VOL XI ISSUE 1 Meet our Park Manager Phillip Schmidt

There’s a new guy in Phillip gave a big shout on this land. It’s our job to town -- well, not actually out to our Friends group protect it.” new since he’s a native and volunteers who help Phillips has a couple of Philadelphian! Please maintain the trails and help short term goals he has set welcome Phillip Schmidt keep the park so beautiful. for himself and his team: as our new Park Manager. He said, “Our budget is (1) Get some of the invasive Phillip comes to us from so small, and there is so species to a managed - which much to do, we couldn’t level (friends…I think he’s is just west of Gettysburg- accomplish it all without our calling) and (2) Getting the where he served as Park volunteers. We appreciate history of the Park out to the Manager. community and So, why did he visitors. Two good head back this goals to be sure. way, besides the So, if you’re ready fact that our park to help, Phillip will is amazing? He put you to work! wanted to be If you haven’t closer to friends already, we hope and family, of you get a chance course. And to meet Phillip like any true - he’s a great Philadelphian, addition to our when I asked him Park system. His where he went enthusiasm for to school, he told Ridley is palpable me Lincoln High and his love for School, then went the outdoors on to tell me Penn abundant, “This is State where he the best job ever. studied Wildlife & As a manager it’s Fishery Science. fun to plan what’s Saying your high going to happen school first is at the park and always a dead see the change giveaway! happen. What An interesting more could I ask fact as we get for? I absolutely to know Phillip love this job!” better - back in 2003 he was everything they do for us.” Now that he’s back home part of a project that took Taking the job here and settling in - a dog just GPS readings from the field might be in the future of and created park maps. at Ridley Creek holds interesting challenges for this new park manager. We Two guesses at who helped will see. In the meantime, create the Ridley Creek Phillip. He talked about being way out in the country welcome Phillip! We are State Park maps we use glad you’re here. today? I hope you guessed and protecting those lands, Phillip! So, needless to say, but then brought it closer Lauren Bacigalupi is a he‘s been all over the park to home. “This is more of member of the Friends of Ridley and trails and he really loves an urban setting, so it’s Creek State Park. them. so important to make sure people are not encroaching SPRING/SUMMER 2018 PAGE 3 Ridley Creek State Park Ash Tree Removal Project In case you’ve been to the As of March 1st, park recently and wondered most of the work has about so many trees been completed. At being cut down, here’s the this point, the rest scoop – Ridley Creek State of the work will take Park has many ash trees place in the forest throughout the park which stands along the north are dramatically impacted section of Sandy Flash by the emerald ash borer, an Drive. Because of this, invasive wood-boring insect. that section of road This insect kills nearly will remain closed every ash tree in a forest for the duration of stand once it becomes the project. The tree infected. These dead felling and removal trees then pose a hazard is expected to be to anyone and anything in completed by May the surrounding area. With 2018. Once removal the many severe storms we is complete, re- have had in the last several planting plans will be years, these trees can and implemented. will come down at the most The emerald ash inopportune times. It’s borer infests all ash better to take them down species. The larvae under control rather than live and feed just have the trees come down under the tree bark. on their own. This damage disrupts In early January, in the transport of water cooperation with the and nutrients between Bureau of Forestry of the the roots, leaves, and products industry, said Department of Conservation growing tissues, causing DCNR Secretary Cindy and Natural Resources a rapid decline and death Adams Dunn. She added (DCNR), Ridley Creek State of the tree. The structural that “active monitoring and Park started an ash tree traits of ash, those that also management for invasive harvest. The timber salvage make ash an excellent wood species such as the emerald sale is being used to remove for baseball bats, render ash borer is essential if ash and hazardous trees at dying trees hazardous. forests are various areas throughout When branches break off or to survive the last several the park, mainly in areas trees come down it is often decades of changing of higher usage such as quick and unpredictable -- climate, land-use patterns, picnic and pavilion areas, resembling a baseball bat declines in forest health, around the historic shattering. and the economic recession Hill Mansion, and along Pennsylvania’s 17 million that threaten forest-related the heavily used Multi-Use acres of forestland provide values and reduce the Trail. Overseen by DCNR’s critical values to society, number of forest-based Bureau of Forestry, the including clean water, jobs.” salvage harvest effort will recreation opportunities, entail retention of all other plant and animal habitat, This article was contributed healthy, hardwood tree and raw materials for a species in the area. by Park Manager Phillip long-established forest Schmidt. PAGE 4 VOL XI ISSUE 1 Exploring Pennsylvania’s Parks:

So far in this State Parks Conservation Corps during neat perspective of passing Series we have looked the Depression Era. The motorists on the roadway at several very special stone platform sits high on a below. places found within hillside at the end of a long For those who are not the Commonwealth of winding road that twists keen on heights, Hyner View Pennsylvania. This time its way up the mountain may take a few moments around is no different -- and through the woods for to warm up to. However, Hyner View State Park is over 4 miles. Once visitors even visitors who don’t find a unique treasure like the arrive at the top, however, the 1,300 ft drop off to be others. This time we are they are greeted with a vertigo-inducing may likely going to Clinton County in dramatic 1,300 foot drop to be taken aback by some of North Central Pennsylvania. the valley floor below. From the park’s frequent users: Being only 6 acres, Hyner the observation deck you hang-gliders who “hang View doesn’t win many can see for miles in many out” just below the stone accolades for its size; directions. The most notable platform on wooden decks. however, it does provide feature is the west branch On any day with decent its own one-of-a-kind of the Susquehanna River weather and moderate to charm through its vertical winding across the valley no wind you will almost presence. floor. At one point Route certainly see several pilots The focal point is a lookout 120 crosses the river and waiting until just the right terrace built by the Civilian parallels the shoreline for a environmental conditions

Earth Day from Page 1 SPRING/SUMMER 2018 PAGE 5 underneath on the valley floor, a strong thermal environment is created and the rising heat noticeably lifts the gliders upward and higher into the sky. The Hyner View hang-gliders appropriately refer to them as “train thermals.” Over the years Hyner View State Park has brought many people up the winding mountain road to the observation platform high on the hillside. There have been marriage proposals and a few weddings. Even when the clouds drop down and cover the valley with fog blocking the view, there are met to launch their In the 1960s the is still a very distinct charm aircrafts into flight. When railway relocated much about the place. If the 6 the wind and surrounding of its operations to acres isn’t enough room to conditions are met, it just other cities around the play and hang-gliding isn’t takes a couple of gentle state like Pittsburgh and your thing, Hyner View State steps off the wooden deck to Altoona. The rail yard is Park is only 5 miles away embark on a thrilling tour of still there, though, and from . the whole valley from high freight trains come and up in the sky above. go regularly, but with a At around 180 acres, there is plenty of The town of Renovo, population around 1,200, space to house Hyner about 6 miles to the west, Renovo is not the “resort” Run’s various amenities tucked behind the base of destination it once was. and activities including a a neighboring mountain, Nevertheless, visitors to campground, swimming was originally established Hyner View State Park can pool, and office that by the Philadelphia and Erie still make the short drive to manages both parks. So no railroad as it was the mid- explore this unique town in matter what your interests point between the two cities the mountains. are, chances are very good by rail. Built as an industrial The freight trains provide that just about anyone can town, it was marketed as an unexpected benefit to find something to enjoy on a a resort destination due the hang-gliding crowd. visit to the region of Hyner to its direct access to the Hang-gliding appears to View State Park in Northern outside world and larger be a free-falling activity Pennsylvania. cities through the network in which the pilot and of railways. The economy aircraft gently glide thrived with tourists and a downwards until eventually This article is fourth in a population of over 5,000. landing safely on the series about other state parks Today, however, it has sadly ground. This is only part in Pennsylvania, contributed followed suit of many other of the concept. When by Friends Board member, the small towns with dwindling the thermal environment much-traveled Paul Mickle. populations and depressed is conducive, the pilot economies. Over-timbering can actually ride the air of the land initially led to upwards, high above the the demise of its thriving initial launching point. industrial productivity. Whenever a train is passing PAGE 6 VOL XI ISSUE 1 Friends of Ridley Photo Contest 2018 Amateur photographers! first 2 photos for $10 each, pictures and submit your Are you getting ready for and a 3rd photo for $5. best entries. The photo the 2018 Friends Photo Look for the contest rules, contest has always been Contest? For the third entry form, and updated one of our most popular year, we will hold the award information on the Friends fundraisers, while also ceremony for the annual website www.FriendsofRCSP. raising awareness of the photo contest in June - org. Flyers have been park and the Friends. this time on Wednesday, posted in the park and Come and bring your June 27 at 6:00 pm. We’ll on the bulletin boards of family and friends to this hold it outdoors weather- the Multi-Use Trail. The free event, the award permitting; if not, inside the submission deadline for ceremony on Wednesday, park mansion is an option. photos eligible to win prizes June 27, to look at all the There will be several is Wednesday, June 20, one beautiful pictures of our cash awards in adult and week prior to the award park. Light refreshments youth categories and we ceremony, to allow time for will be served. We will also want to encourage young judging. Late entries will have a collection box for photographers under the be accepted up to Tuesday, canned food items for the age of 18 to enter. We are June 26, and will be posted local Food Bank; bring a allowing up to 3 entries per at the award ceremony, but donation if you can. See you person. The entry fee will will not be eligible for prizes. there! vary based on the number Photos of all seasons are of submitted photos – the welcome. So gather your PPFF’s Photo Contest The Friends of Ridley Creek Pennsylvania. Environment (buildings, State Park is a chapter of Photos must be submitted bridges, towers, etc.); Young the Pennsylvania Parks & by September 5, 2018 to Photographers (aged 12- Forests Foundation (PPFF). PPFF. Three prizes will 17). So there are many In addition to the Friends be awarded in each of 5 opportunities to win an of Ridley’s photo contest, categories, as well as Best award! PPFF has an annual photo in Show, Critic’s Choice, For a complete list of rules contest. Here’s another and People’s Choice. and submission details, go opportunity for you to enter The categories this year to www.PaParksAndForests. and win with your pictures of are: Fun in the Outdoors; org. our park, or, for that matter, Beauty All Around; Dogs any state park or forest in in the Outdoors; The Built

Streams Cleanup cont. from cover to Area 8 at the top of the is limited and dangerous hill near the horse farm and for discharging passengers. we are free to leave and go to the trailer parking Please be safe and go to the go home. There will be a area. Walk downhill on the suggested parking location thank you picnic at a future equestrian trail, along the at Area 8. date for all volunteers who pasture fence, to Ridley To sign up for this participated – when you are Creek and you will be at the event, please visit www. not covered in mud! bridge. We can access both crcwatersheds.org to ensure To access our work site, sides of the bridge from the we have a T-shirt and please enter Ridley Creek trail under the bridge and supplies for you. State Park at the Gradyville can wade across Ridley Creek Road entrance (from to clean up the entire area. This article was contributed Providence Road). Proceed Parking along Gradyville Road by Friends President Jack Miller. SPRING/SUMMER 2018 PAGE 7 Come to the Friends Picnic June 2 Our annual member and hamburgers, hot dogs, volunteer appreciation picnic Treasurer and hope to find potato salad, coleslaw, this year will be on Saturday someone before the annual beverages, and other fare. June 2 at noon, rain or shine, meeting. Anyone interested People are welcome to bring after the trail workday. The in serving should e-mail a dessert or other dish to picnic is open to all trail [email protected] share. workers and members of the or call Joan at 610-352-5685. Friends of Ridley Creek State The annual meeting will Please RSVP for the Park and will include the include officer elections. picnic so we can plan the annual election for Friends Current members of the food. E-mail members@ officers. Friends of Ridley Creek State friendsofrcsp.org or call Joan Park and newly signed up Meet us at Pavilion 8, at the number above by members will be able to which is a sheltered site Wednesday, May 30, if you vote. The President and off Sandy Flash Drive at can. We hope to see you Vice-President positions the top of the hill, next to there! (currently held by Jack Miller the horse farm building. and Joan Nikelsky) will be up The picnic treats are for election or re-election. compliments of the Friends: We are also seeking a

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Monthly Trail Work. Meet at Park Office First Saturday of each month, 9am.

CRC Streams CleanUp Saturday April 21st, see article for details

Free picnic for Friends Members and trail workers Saturday, June 2nd, Noon at Pavilion 8

Deadline for submitting entries eligible for awards of photo contest Wednesday, June 20th until 4pm at Park Office

Award Ceremony for the Friends Photo Contest - Open to Public Wednesday, June 27th, 6pm in Mansion Area

Deadline for submitting entries to the PPFF Photo Contest Wednesday, Sept 5th, See PaParksandForests.org