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Green Tree volunteers outline trail repairs and invasive‑species plan; report estimate $2,000, step repair estimated $2,500
Summary
Committee members recommended repairing the Red Trail steps (estimated $2,500 and 124 volunteer hours), pursuing a $2,000 invasive‑management assessment from Arc Wild, and prioritizing planting replacement trees in response to oak wilt while coordinating with DCNR and a local urban forester.
Committee members told council that trail infrastructure and forest health are immediate priorities for the Green Tree Nature Center and adjacent trails. Ryan Taylor (speaker 7) highlighted rotted or missing steps on the Red Trail and said the committee had estimated a repair cost of about $2,500 and roughly 124 volunteer hours to replace steps with boxed steps and add water‑control features to reduce future erosion.
"That is one project in my mind that needs immediate addressing," Taylor said, citing safety and access issues. Committee members added that in addition to step replacement there are benches to repair and stream‑crossing improvements needed to make the trail network more accessible to families.
On invasive‑species management, Kantke and others described work with an urban forester and a consultant from Arc Wild to produce a formal management report and plan. The committee provided an order‑of‑magnitude estimate that the invasive‑management report would cost about $2,000; the report would inventory tree species, prioritize dense invasives for professional removal and identify where borough public‑works crews or volunteers could act.
Kantke said the committee had also consulted DCNR technical guidance and was told the Nature Center’s size ("not over a 100 acres," she said) affects eligibility for some DCNR funding streams; she said experts advised planting new, more resistant trees rather than attempting expensive remediation for oak wilt.
Speakers discussed technical fixes such as water bars placed before and after stairs to divert runoff and reduce erosion; one committee member suggested reducing the number of stair sets in favor of more gradual trail connectors to lower maintenance needs. The committee said it can pursue multiple implementation options — hiring a land trust or commissioning targeted reports to decide where borough resources should go.
The committee requested council guidance on how much borough staffing and budget support to allocate; until the council decides, members said much of the initial work will rely on volunteers, donated materials and targeted small grants.
