Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Monday, October 10, 2016

Lehigh Gorge State Park: Drake's Creek (4-Oct-2016)

With the whitewater season over, I went to check out the condition of Drake's Creek, one of the access points to the Lehigh River in the Lehigh Gorge State Park. I started a little more than half way down the access road and walked it and the creek down to the Lehigh.

The amount of trash between the access road and the creek was about the same as my first visit to this location. Some of the same spots had the same kinds of trash items in almost the exact same places as before.

The colors of the newly fallen leafs added to the beauty of the creek. For the most part the creek itself was trash free. Only a couple pieces were picked up right on the creek bank.

Like all of the waterways around the water level was very low. Even the smaller falls only had a trickle flowing over them.

This was the most trash in one spot along the access road. Both trash and cut Rhododendron was tossed off the side and the trash wasn't the easiest to retrieve. The cut branches of Rhododendron really made it tricky getting to some of the items further down the slope that can't be seen in the photo on the left. On the right is all the trash picked from this particular spot.

I was not looking for caterpillars on this trip, this one though was hard to miss. A friend identified it as Paonias excaecta. There are several caterpillars that look very similar, so this is one case where a quick internet search could give you a misidentification. It is always best to use guides or ask those who can positively id species if you want to know exactly what you find is.

This area which rafting companies use to get rafts down to the creek and out to the river bothers me. The companies really should do a better job of keeping this area clean. Around this raft sliding apparatus and to the creek I picked up everything in the right photo. Some of the items I found here can definitely be tied directly back to the rafting companies.

Looking down river on the Lehigh. There was some washed up trash along the bank here and some discarded in the brush between the bridge and the river.

A whistle! This one is in much better condition than those I carry on my PFD so it is going to replace one of them. Whistles are required while boating in Pennsylvania, so never launch your boat without one.

Looking up river, the water is extremely low.

The rail bridge that runs over Drake's Creek. It serves as a pretty cool gateway to the river.

Penny taking her final looks of the creek before we packed up and headed out. Had a sack full by the end. This was less than my first visit, but on that one there was also a lot of older trash.

Found a variety of fungus. I am adding the photos because I think the diversity in fungus is interesting, but I am unable to identify these to species.

These were neat.

The oddest looking fungus of the trip. There were many of these on a steep slope along the access road.

All that was picked up on this trip. After sorting out the recyclables I loaded everything into the car. Luckily it was trash night for me and I was able to quickly dispose of the non-recyclables at home.
You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Monday, October 3, 2016

Locust Lake State Park (1-Oct-2016)

It had been awhile since I last visited Locust Lake State Park and on a dreary, rainy day, I didn't feel like going far from home. I took my normal path through the park, first over the dam and down to the pond below the lake, followed by taking the main path around the lake. There was much less trash than I was anticipating and that is awesome!

The last few times I have done my walk around this I have been finding much less trash than I did just last year. Normally there are a lot of bait containers, fishing line and bottles between the rocks.

This natural dam on Locust Creek had the average amount of trash I normally find in it.

A couple insects were just about all the wildlife I saw on this trip. Above is a Syrphid Fly. Its coloration mimics a bee, but its wings eyes and other features give it away as a fly.

I could not manage to get a good angle for this photo. On the Goldenrod is an Ambush Bug with camouflaged coloring that works well with the plant it is on.

Soon the docks will be pulled in for the winter.

After looping around the lake I hit an old access road that doesn't see much use. Picked up a couple items along it, but this portion of the hike was really just to enjoy the woods in the fog.

Later in the year I will do a more thorough job around the park. I was pleased that this was all I found on this trip around.

You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

Like this project? Like it on Facebook: Taking Out the Trash in Eastern PA

Delaware Canal State Park: Where the Lehigh Joins the Delaware (29-Sept-2016)

This is a location I wish I could get to more often. The rivers here see a lot of recreational use and a lot of things wash up that have floated down from up river. By foot I have limited access to some of the bank in this section and there are a few places along the bank that I would only go to by boat. If you decide to go to this location I will caution that some places along the river in Easton are not safe. Even visiting the Delaware Canal State Park I would suggest sticking to the D&L Trail and not venturing down to the river alone. Often there are encampments along the river and over the years I have seen individuals shooting up and others engaged in very peculiar behavior on the riverbank in this area.

This view into the canal is never a good start to a clean-up. This really bothers me and there is nothing I can do about it. I can't retrieve anything on foot and boats are prohibited here due to the close proximity to the dam.

Some of you have probably never seen one of these before. It is called a fish ladder and it serves an important purpose for the Lehigh River. The dams on the Lehigh prevent certain fish species like the American Shad from going up the river to spawn. Fish ladders allow them a passage way around. American Shad, Lampreys, American Eels all have more complex life cycles which utilize both fresh and salt water. Dams can completely block these species out of rivers where they should be. I personally believe that dams like those along the Lehigh River that do not produce power or serve any purpose other than recreation should be removed.

This graffiti gave me a laugh. Right next to it is trash. It would be nice if the individual who wrote this demonstrated their caring for the Earth by picking up the trash around the bridge instead of writing this on it. Actions can speak louder than words and I personally don't see this statement as genuine when I find trash around it.

Picked up three lures along the Lehigh just sitting atop rocks. I found this odd, they were definitely placed this way and not just dropped by someone fishing.

As I always do when I hit this area on foot, I took the bank of the Lehigh down to the Delaware then looped back up to the trail on the other side of the bridge.

Piles like this are common here. It seems groups or families enjoy a snack or meal down by the river then just leave all of their waste behind. I understand why the DCNR does not have a dumpster or more trash cans by the parking lot, but I think it would help to reduce trash like this at this location.

The first bag of the day. I separated out the non-recyclables and put them in the only trash can available. There wasn't much room in it so I knew for the rest of the day I had to limit myself on picking up non-recyclables. Loaded the rest into my car then hit the D&L Trail.

The main goal for the rest of the day was to check out a spot downriver that I, with others, have worked on several times already this year. I wanted to see the condition after a couple months. On the way I cleaned up along the trail and made a stop under the rail bridges in the photo above. At the bridge stop, I did see what looked to be an active encampment and avoided it.

When I arrived at the portion of bank I wanted to check out I really wasn't surprised. Trash as far down the bank as I could see. Even the opposing side of the river looked bad and normally in this section trash tends to wash up on the PA side.

Looks like someone had a fishing party at this spot. Beer cans and several chicken liver containers. I want people to get out and enjoy the river, fish and have fun, but respect the river. Random night patrols in the summer by the DCNR or PFBC could cut down on both encampments and sites like this.

With two sacks full I had just about all I could carry and it was time to head back.

You may have to click to enlarge this photo in order to see the small Common Snapping Turtle in it. It is the near the center of the photo at the upper edge of the dark green patch of aquatic plants underwater. Other than birds that were too far off to photograph this was the only wildlife I came across.

Loaded up the recyclables in my car and stuffed everything else in the lone trash can in the parking lot. I really wish I lived closer, there is so much more to be done in this area.

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Tuscarora State Park (28-Sept-2016)

Most of the time when I go to Tuscarora State Park, I stick to the more heavily used areas of the park. For this hike I decided to go to hit some trails that don't see much use. I knew I wouldn't find a lot of trash, but generally once areas like this are cleaned up they tend to stay that way for a long time. I parked at the flying field for remote controlled airplanes and hiked through an old tree farm and around fields, hoping too to see a lot of insects.

I only picked up a handful of trash on this hike and what I did find was mostly in the pines. These were a couple of the items that flew into this area. A ballon on the left and a small model plane wing on the right. Being close to the flying field I always hope to find a whole plane. So far I have only found one and it was severely damaged and to high in a tree for me to retrieve.

In the fields I did find insects. This Monarch Caterpillar was one of the first insects I came across. The fields consist of mostly Goldenrod with a few patches of Milkweed. The Goldenrod did not yield many insect finds, the Milkweed however had an assortment of species.

This was the coolest beetle of the day. It is an Eye-Spotted Lady Beetle. It was much larger than most of the Ladybird Beetles I am used to finding.

On the left is a Ladybird Beetle and a Milkweed Beetle. On the right is a Ladybird Beetle Larvae and Aphids. The Aphids feed off of the Milkweed and the Ladybird Beetles feed on the Aphids.

A Candy Cane Leafhopper. All of the insects so far in this post were found on Milkweed, so if you are out searching for insects to see at this time of year Milkweed would be a good plant to find.

If you look closely at the center of this photo you may see the White-Tailed Doe that was staring at me.

On the Goldenrod I only found a couple bees and these Earwigs.

What a Spider! It is a Marbled Orb Weaver. It too was found around Milkweed.

This was all for trash on this hike. I probably won't visit this area for another year or so. It was a nice hike and I was happy to see a decent diversity in insect species.

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A Turtle and a Tiny Bit of Trash (26-Sept-2016)

I never know what I am going to come across while out working on clean-ups. I always hope to see wildlife and not much trash and on most trips I see a lot of trash and not much wildlife. This one was a pretty good trip. The turtle above is an Eastern Box Turtle and is just about the best thing I could find while hiking trails. In Pennsylvania the Eastern Box Turtle is a protected species, their biggest threats include habitat loss, road fatalities and over collection. Since they are a protected species I have chosen to omit the location in which it was found. Even with their protected status there are those who still collect these turtles and illegally sell them and this is the reason I choose not to share locations of where I find them. If you ever see an Eastern Box Turtle trying to cross a road, please stop and help it on its way across. It is best to move them in the direction they were headed and off of the road thirty feet.

In addition to the turtle I found some interesting fly species as well. Like many insects I can not tell you what specific species these are. I am just adding them to the post because I found them to be pretty cool.

I have probably passed by these same species hundreds of times on walks and never took the time to look at them close up. They are spectacular.

I was hiking for hours and this was all the trash I found along the trailside. I wish every place could be like this!

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