Opequon Creek Project Team
Tree Planting in the Watershed
Tree Buffers help shade creeks and streams, filter pollutants coming off the land, improve wildlife habitat, and stabilize the banks. The Project Team has been responsible for planting over 2,000 trees and shrubs in the Opequon watershed.November 9-10, 2011, Torytown Run (Phinneus Dorsey's Property). Local high school students joined the volunteers to help plant this buffer which measured approximately 600 feet and included over 200 trees and shrubs. Photo Gallery.
November 5, 2011, Rocky Marsh Run (Keller Property), Shepherdstown, WV. Although not in the Opequon watershed, Rocky Marsh Run drains directly to the Potomac and so OCPT members pitched in to help plant over 200 trees. Volunteers arrived and departed throughout the morning and the project was completed by 1:00. Photo Gallery.
October 22, 2011, Tuscarora Creek (Roach Property), Martinsburg. Seven volunteers planted, tubed and staked, 234 trees and shrubs on property owned by Stan Roach. The West Virginia Division of Forestry partnered with OCPT to plant these trees in an effort to protect the Turscarora and to provide wildlife habitat. Photo Gallery.
April 30, 2011, LeFevre Springs, Bunker Hill. Seven volunteers planted 120 trees on property owned by Dr. Francisco Sabado. The Berkeley County Public Service Water District and the West Virginia Division of Forestry partnered with OCPT to plant these trees in an effort to protect and shade Torytown Run, a major tributary of Mill Creek.
April 13, 2011, Opequon Creek. Nine volunteers planted a 500 foot buffer along the Opequon (100 trees) at the Wheeler property. Unfotunately three days later, a deluge struck the east coast causing the Opequon to breech its banks and many of the trees (and tubes) were washed downstream. See the attached for more information. Photo Gallery.
November 10, 2010, Sylvan Run. Fifteen volunteers arrived at the Funkhouser property near the Sylvan Run headwaters. This project consisted of hand auger-
ing the holes and planting 300 trees and shrubs. Most of the remaining Buffer in a Bag (BIAB) trees were donated to this project. The Funkhousers have a beautiful piece of property on the border of Virginia and West Virginia and are devoted to bringing the creek back to its original glory as a wildlife refuge.
May 20, 2010, Mill Creek. A 1,000 ft. buffer along the Opequon at Mill Creek on the Pichot property. See the attached for more information. Photo Gallery
March 27, 2010, Mill Creek. It was a brisk spring morning that greeted almost 50 volunteers to Mountain View Farm in Gerrardstown, WV. The Project Team partnered with a number of organizations (see the flyer) to plant almost 1,000 trees and shrubs. Everyone worked very hard and the project was completed by late afternoon. Photo Gallery
December 1, 2009, Mill Creek. On December 1, volunteers planted Phase I of a buffer along the newly restored banks of Creek.
Photo Gallery
October 27, 2009, Prospect Hall. On October 27, Team members planted 156 trees along the banks of the Opequon at the Prospect Hall Gun Club in Middleway, WV. Photo Gallery On April 21, 2010 volunteers and staff planted 565 trees and shrubs along the creek at Prospect Hall. The entire planting is protected from deer with an innovative electric fence designed by Cacapon Institute. See the entire project here.
October 25, 2008, Mill Creek Buffer. On October 24 and 25, team members arrived at Moutain View Farm in Gerrardstown and planted 212 trees and shrubs in addition to an ~400 sq. ft. area planted with a riparian buffer seed mix containing native shrubs, grasses and flowers. The buffer materials were purchased with funds received from the Freeman Foundation FACES grant. The weather turned from cold one day to cold and wet the next, but the volunteers persevered and finished the work. Photo Gallery
May 19, 2008, Mill Creek Buffer. On May 19, 2008, the Project Team planted 147 trees and shrubs on Mill Creek. The following week saw torrential rainfall (3.5 inches in one evening), and except for a few newly planted shrubs being uprooted, the buffer weathered the storm. Photo Gallery
April-May 2007, Opequon Creek Buffer. On April 20 and May 5, 2007, the Project Team planted 110 trees and shrubs along Opequon Creek. Photo Gallery
Spring 2006, Tuscarora Creek Buffer. On April 29, 2006, the Team planted 200 trees, protected by tubes, and 300 woody shrubs along a tributary of Opequon, the Tuscarora Creek. Photo Gallery
Projects Benefits
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Hosting and Technical Assistance
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