Luzerne County Sustainable Landscapes

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Bus Tour 2013

The Lands at Hillside Farms

Kirby Park Natural Area

Plains Animal Hospital

Life Expression Wellness Center

Butler Township Community Gardens

Nescopeck State Park

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Welcome!

This bus tour is brought to you by the Pocono Region Sustainable Lands Partnership, a group of state government agencies, conservation non-profits and land management professionals interested in educating municipal officials, park managers, landscape designers and others about the importance of balancing human land uses with natural resource protection. Formed in 2010 as part of a larger initiative of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), this partnership hosted a conference at Marywood University in 2010, held a series of workshops on wood lot management, bird habitat, invasive species and rain gardens in 2012, and continues to work on a variety of outreach efforts throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. If you are interested in becoming part of the partnership, helping plan future events and educational materials, please contact Jessica Sprajcar at jsprajcar@pa.gov. And sign up for the Sustainable Pennsylvania Network social media site at http://sustainpa.ning.com.

Committee

Pocono Region Sustainable Lands Partnership

Vinnie Cotrone, Penn State Cooperative Extension

Angela Lambert, DCNR Bureau of State Parks

Diane Madl, DCNR Bureau of State Parks

Jessica Sprajcar, DCNR Bureau of Forestry

Janet Sweeney, Pa. Environmental Council

Site Hosts Kirby Park Natural Area

Vinnie Cotrone, Urban Forester at PSU Cooperative Extension

Plains Animal Hospital

Doug Ayers, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Plains Animal Hospital

Robert Lewis, Registered Architect at Bakker & Lewis

The Lands at Hillside Farms

Chet Mozloom, Executive Director at The Lands at Hillside Farms

Butler Township Community Gardens/ The Center for Landscape Design & Stewardship

Krista Schneider, President and Founder of CLDS

Life Expressions Wellness Center

Ron and Joanne Gallagher, Owners of Life Expressions Wellness Center

Nescopeck State Park

Diane Madl, Environmental Education Specialist for DCNR Bureau of State Parks

Andrew Duncan, Private Forestland Stewardship Coordinator for DCNR Bureau of Forestry

Kirby Park Natural Area Since 1991, the Wilkes-Barre Riverfront Parks Committee has managed, restored and interpreted a 91-acre urban riparian forest and park natural area located four blocks from historic downtown Wilkes-Barre along the west side of the Susquehanna River.

In 1995 a park master plan, funded in part by DCNR and city funds, was completed and since that time the committee has been implementing pieces of that plan with the help of various federal and state grants. The committee has been able to obtain over $200,000 for physical park improvements and environmental education and have leveraged in excess of $300,000 from in-kind donated professional services, volunteer labor and donated materials.

The Committee has also received grants from USDA Forest Service, EPA Environmental Education Program, DCED state funding, county funds and various private sources that have allowed them to develop an annual River Fest educational program, produce a comprehensive trail guide and control invasive Japanese Knotweed along the trails.

WILKES-BARRE, PA

The installation of the parking lot included a

grass paving grid system, shown below prior to seeding. This

parking area is porous, allowing stormwater to infiltrate, rather than run off into the river.

This site’s Silver sponsor is:

(610) 398-0904 www.BarryIsett.com

Over the years, the committee has developed a network of handicapped accessible hiking and biking trails; removed tons of debris from the park and river (including over 2,000 tires); coordinated the Wyoming Valley RiverFest for 11 years; improved the access road in partnership with the Luzerne County Road and Bridge Department; and provided environmental educational opportunities for several thousand school students, natural resource professionals and adult park users.

The Riverfront Parks have recently been added to the Pennsylvania Audubon Susquehanna Birding and Wildlife Trial map, a statewide marketing piece that is promoted to birders and wildlife enthusiasts throughout the state and country.

As city revitalization efforts are focused at the river’s edge, there is a need to explain the ecological benefits of riparian

areas to community leaders and residents who often view the

riparian areas as a liability instead of an asset.

Architectural firm Bakker and Lewis were hired to build the Plains Animal Hospital on a previously developed site. Construction debris from local construction projects had been dumped on the site in the past. Earth disturbance was minimized on-site, as was the building’s footprint, by using a two-story design with walkout lower level built into the existing slope.

Plains Animal Hospital

Parking

areas are separated by

vegetated swales. Roof

drainage passes through a rain

garden and series of

underground culvert pipes

to slow runoff and improve

water quality.

PLAINS, PA

All building and parking areas are located outside of the 100-year floodplain. The parking lots are porous and eliminate the need for asphalt. They consist of a finely graded crushed stone mix designed by Penn State.

Turf areas were minimized by selecting native vegetation that stabilize soils, control erosion and provide wildlife forage or habitat. Trees were planted to shade parked vehicles and keep surface temperatures lower to minimize building cooling loads in the summer.

The building incorporates many green building practices including: east-west building orientation to minimize solar heat gain and maximize natural day-lighting, multiple-zoned HVAC system, tubular skylights to increase indoor daylight, fluorescent lamps, low flow toilets, sheet metal roof rather than asphalt shingles, countertops made of recycled sunflower seed hulls, mats made from recycled rubber tires, and low to no-VOC paints.

Visitors to the animal hospital are

greeted by the rain gardens located at the front of the building. The native

trees, shrubs and grasses help prevent storm water runoff and add to the

aesthetics of the site.

This site’s Silver Sponsors is:

www.plna.com (717) 238-1673

The Lands at Hillside Farms SHAVERTOWN, PA

The Lands at Hillside Farms (The Lands) is a 19th Century, non-profit educational agriculture farm located in Shavertown, Pennsylvania. The Lands was formed in 2005 to preserve the 412- acre Hillside Farms from becoming suburban housing and development as well as to launch the vision for continued operation as a dairy farm and processing center as well as an education center.

The Lands offers an engaging educational environment that cannot be experienced in a traditional classroom. In fact, there is no other “teaching farm” in Luzerne County. At The Lands, students work side-by-side with educators and

“co-faculty” farm animals to learn about science, agriculture, ecology, history, nutrition, animal husbandry, land conservation, sustainable living and community service. Students also have the opportunity to observe diversities to enhance their educational experiences. The Lands offers several curriculum-based farm programs, all which meet Pennsylvania Academic Standards for grades K though 12. During the 2011-2012 school year approximately 4,500 students from throughout greater Northeastern Pennsylvania visited The Lands for educational programs. Of this, approximately 43 percent of students were considered disadvantaged, “at-risk” or had physical, behavioral, emotional, mental or developmental challenges. The Lands provides, within a safe, structured, supportive environment, nature-based programs such as animal-assisted therapies/activities, horticulture therapies/activities, humane education and sustainable agriculture education.

This site’s Bronze Sponsor is:

www.raveplants.com

The dairy herd feasts daily in lush, healthy pastures that are not sprayed with

chemicals or pesticides.

A new,

expanded, green parking lot will reduce water

runoff by at least 15,000 gallons

per storm.

In addition to educational programs, the farm incorporates strict sustainability practices within everyday operations. The dairy herd feasts daily in lush, healthy pastures that are not sprayed with chemicals or pesticides. Moreover, the cows are frequently moved to neighboring pastures, which provides continual access to nutritious vegetation while greatly reducing erosion. The effective method of manure management keeps animal waste away from streams and roadways. In September 2012, The Lands broke ground for an expanded parking lot that will include several “green parking” improvements such as a Garden Grid parking system, rain gardens, and additional trees. This project is expected to reduce water runoff by at least 15,000 gallons per storm. Finally, in May 2012, The Lands opened Hillside Mercantile, which is housed in a mid-19th Century barn formally located at Hayfield Farms, near the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Campus. Protected by an exterior constructed from Hillside-harvested wood, Hillside Mercantile sells quality local and American-made products.

The Mission of the Center of the Landscape Design & Stewardship (CLDS) is to promote environmental and community sustainability through landscape-based education, demonstration and public outreach. Through adult and youth education programs, professionally designed gardens for inspiration, demonstration and horticultural study, and community gardens for food production and hands-on study, the CLDS seeks to heighten ecological awareness, increase understanding of sustainable agriculture and design concepts and techniques, and create places of learning, discovery and fun for all members of the greater Hazleton community. Founded in 2008 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the CLDS has many accomplishments, the most important of which has been establishment of the Butler Township "Human Nature" Community and Demonstration Garden in Drums, Luzerne County.

Butler Township Community Gardens DRUMS, PA

The community gardens contain 60 plots that can be leased for vegetables, flowers, herbs and

even chickens.

In partnership with the township, the CLDS manages and maintains the 1.3-acre garden, which has grown to contain 60 garden plots available for lease to the community, a Pollinator Demonstration Garden, Medicinal and Culinary Herb Demonstration Garden, Demonstration Rain Garden, and a 1/4-acre Market Garden, where food is raised organically to be sold at the Downtown Hazleton Farmers’ Market that the CLDS co-founded with the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce in 2011.

The education programs include an average of six to ten adult workshops per year on topics such as vegetable gardening, organic pest management, nutrition, soil health, composting and other issues relevant to gardening and sustainable design. They also offer a hands-on summer youth gardening camp for kids ages nine to 12. This “Garden Discovery Camp” is led by CLDS Volunteers and Master Gardeners associated with Penn State's Cooperative Extension Program of Luzerne County.

Produce from the gardens is sold at the Hazleton Farmers’ Market.

Life Expressions Wellness Center

Located on 16 acres of meadow, the center is home to naturopaths, dentists, massage therapists and nutritionists specializing in the holistic healing arts. The office was built in such a manner as to create a healthy, natural setting.

SUGARLOAF, PA

The building was designed by architect SimVan der Ryn of Sausalito, CA. The ecologic layout of the building maximizes the earth’s natural lighting, cooling and heating. The green roof was designed by Charlie Miller of Roofscapes, Inc. in Philadelphia and completed in 2001. It incorporates 6,000 plants into a living meadows. The plants help slow roof runoff and provide insulation from the heat of summer and cold of winter. No irrigation is needed; the rain that falls on the roof is enough to keep the plants thriving.

The roof won the 2004 GRHC North

American Green Roofs of Excellence Award.

Roofscapes, Inc. is a green roof engineering, design and installation firm with expertise in civil engineering, roof gardening, roofing and waterproofing. They are a full-service green roof installation firm that selects and sources products that will best optimize the performance and aesthetic of the entire green roof system. They provide both design consulting or design/build services. The major advantages of green roofs include: storm water, erosion and pollution control, water quality improvement, urban heat-island mitigation, cleaning the air, doubling the service life of a roof, energy conservation, noise reduction, wildlife habitat creation and aesthetics.

Typically the only maintenance that is needed once plants become established is weeding and plant infill transplanting twice a year.

An abundance of

windows allow views of the meadows and provide plenty of natural sunlight

to illuminate, and ventilation to cool, the

interior.

Nescopeck State Park

The Visitor and Environmental Education Center was designed as a “green” building, adding to DCNR’s commitment to sustainable landscapes and design. Building materials include biodegradable or recycled content such as ceramic floor tiles, carpeting, wall board, insulation and linoleum sheet flooring. A long lasting aluminum roof and use of fiber cement siding was also incorporated. The building features a geothermal heating and cooling system, and other energy saving amenities. Outside, stabilized turf parking areas reduce runoff and a rain barrel collects rainwater from roof runoff and is used in the park’s native butterfly garden.

DRUMS, PA

Nescopeck State Park, located in lower Luzerne County, encompasses 3,550 acres including valuable wetlands, healthy forests and old fields. The park, named after the Nescopeck Creek, is home to a rich diversity of wildlife species and provides year-round environmental education programs and opportunities for passive recreation such as fishing, hiking, bird watching, hunting, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

The Visitor and Environmental Education Center showcases many green building practices and is surrounded by native

plantings used for educational purposes.

The park’s Field Habitat Partnership works to restore over sixty acres of old fields that had been invaded by invasive plant species. The Partnership is a joint effort of the Honey Hole Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, the PA Chapter of Pheasants Forever, the PA Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society, and the Wildlife Management Institute. DCNR coordinated this effort in conjunction with the PA Game Commission, who provided a Wildlife Habitat Management Plan to guide the habitat restoration. The Field Habitat Partnership remains dedicated to the improvement of wildlife habitat for both game and non-game species and continues to identify long term habitat improvements for the field sites. This project was awarded a Northeast Partnership Award by the PA Environmental Council NE Partners in 2010.

Education programs for school groups, teachers, youth groups and the general public have reached over 24,000 people since the environmental education center opened in 2004. As recently as August of this year, brand new interpretive exhibits were installed depicting the unique habitats and biodiversity of the park. The park is also currently installing a “Nature Explore” classroom, where children will be encouraged to play in the dirt, build with blocks and sticks, explore a tree house and experience dramatic free play in the music and movement area.

Before (left), the fields were

full of invasive shrubs like Autumn olive. After the

restoration work (below), native flowers and grasses

provide habitat for a variety of birds.

Pocono Region Sustainable Lands Partnership Luzerne County Sustainable Landscapes Bus Tour 2013