Planting the Riparian Buffer at Cedar Beach Parkway

This past Saturday morning a team of volunteers descended on Cedar Beach Parkway to begin the planting of a riparian buffer. The people present worked a long, hard and fun day on what became a beautiful autumn afternoon after a rainy, humid morning.
The trees, shrubs and wildflowers we planted were all native and will all help reestablish wildlife habitat, improve water quality, help abate flooding and a whole long list of other positive things that will change Cedar Beach Parkway for the better.






The work I did at Cedar Beach on Saturday was probably the most honest work I have ever done. As I am writing this on Sunday evening I am profoundly sore and achy and it is wonderful. I left Cedar Beach thick with mud and the sweet smell of soil in my nose. I left feeling like I had done something to profoundly help one of our parks in a way that will be lasting and inspiring to future visitors for years to come. I am thankful for the opportunity to volunteer and I am very proud to have done so.





I will document the chokecherry, cardinal flowers and everything else we planted on Saturday on this blog for as long as I write it. This spring when life returns in neon green buds and baby leaves, you can count on seeing this buffer grow and flourish here on Remember.




What a day it was on Saturday and what a great thing went on that I am lucky to be part of. Often times, here in Allentown, the future of our parks is hotly contested and debated. Without question or conjecture, I can tell you that on this Monday morning one of our parks has been changed for the better and now, an example has been set that will allow all of the citizens of Allentown an experience that many of our parks are currently lacking and very much in need of.




Much more to come on this, especially next spring…