The Adventures of the Valley Forgers!

Special thanks to SCA’s Philadelphia Crew supporters: National Park Service, Exelon Corporation (PECO), The Boeing Company, William Penn Foundation, PNC, Wheelabrator Falls Inc, Philadelphia Youth Network, George and Miriam Martin Foundation, and others in the Philadelphia area.

The SCA Greater Philadelphia Summer Program successfully completed its fourth year, with area youth completing meaningful summer service projects while gaining leadership and Job Readiness skills. These local high school students committed themselves to working on conservation service projects in Philadelphia’s parks and natural areas, becoming an integral part of SCA’s mission of building the next generation of conservation leaders by engaging in hands-on service to the land.

An SCA partner since the Philadelphia program launched in 2009, Valley Forge has continuously provided great projects and offered many opportunities for SCA program youth. Valley Forge Crew Accomplishments:

• Removed over 57 rusty crayfish. There were no native species in the stream.
• Resurfaced Varnum trail and Connector trail with wood chips, grading the trail and filling in potholes.
• Laid down approximately 1,000 feet of mulch along the connector trail of the Chapel/Bridal trail.
• Students removed encroaching vines, including grape vine, wisteria, and Japanese honeysuckle, from trees at the "shotgun shell mailbox” and along the Schuylkill river.
• Over ¼ acre of mile-a-minute was removed and bagged to avoid seed dispersal.
• Students installed signs near the preserve & pond to warn against the dangers of allowing dogs to swim or defecate in or near the water
• Crews installed 1 water bar, 1 drainage dip, and 3 check steps on the lower chapel trail where erosion was identified as a problem.