The D&L Blog

A note from Dennis Scholl, D&L Outreach Coordinator and head of the Trail Tenders:

Nineteen Trail Tenders gathered Saturday morning under cloudy/rainy skies to clear overgrowth from the perimeter of Lock 28 in Lehigh Gorge State Park.

Tenders from three chapters worked for more than two hours cutting down and digging out invasive glossy buckthorn that was beginning to dominate the area around the lock. The final half hour was spent cutting a short path down a slope at the north end of the lock, so visitors to the site can get a full view of the lock looking downstream. The path was bolstered on the edge with large rocks. Rocks also were used as steps.

Lock 28 is an engineering marvel that requires volunteer attention once a year. If the buckthorn were not taken out, it would quickly overtake the site and compromise some of the lock’s stonework and certainly take away the magnificent view of the lock that is available to the public now. While the Tenders were working, the lock was visited by about 12 bikers and walkers who were out despite the gloomy weather.

Saturday’s cleanup marks the end of the season’s all-chapter cleanups. They will resume again next spring. The Lehigh Valley Chapter will continue working at Lock 43 in Bethlehem throughout the winter. A cleanup is scheduled there this Saturday, Nov. 15, from 9 a.m. to noon.