The Warren-based Friends of Allegheny Wilderness has been the formal adopting organization of the Hickory Creek Wilderness Trail in the Allegheny National Forest since their inception in 2001.
This year-- their nineteenth-- FAW is continuing their efforts to keep the 13-mile trail clear for hiking.
Over the weekend of July 26th through the 28th, the FAW trail stewardship crew undertook another project at Hickory Creek, as nine hardy volunteers contributed their labor to clearing the entire trail of downed woody debris and live vegetation encroaching on the trail corridor.
This included clearing several very large-diameter oak and black cherry trunks using only non-motorized tools.
The volunteers camped overnight in the wilderness all weekend, and carried all of their supplies with them on their backs.
Hickory Creek Wilderness is 8,633 acres in size, and was designated under the Wilderness Act of 1964 to be forever protected from all forms of development as part of America’s National Wilderness Preservation System nearly 35 years ago, in 1984.
The bill that designated Hickory Creek as a wilderness area had been brought by U.S. Congressman Bill Clinger in the House of Representatives, and U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and John Heinz in the Senate. President Ronald Reagan signed the Pennsylvania Wilderness Act into law in October of that year.
The FAW trail crew hopes to go out for another stewardship weekend later this year, likely in October. Exact dates to be announced.
If you think you might be interested in joining the crew in October, please feel free to contact FAW with any questions you might have by sending email to: info@pawild.org. No experience is necessary.
For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and how you can get involved, visit the Friends of Allegheny Wilderness website.
(Photo: July 2019 FAW Hickory Creek Wilderness trail stewardship crew are, from left to right: Dan Fenstermacher, Luke Bobnar, Kirk Johnson, Alex Bobnar, Tom Malecki, Joe Torok, Jim Johnson, Dave Schultz, and Grace Tillotson. The dog’s name is Bailey.)
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