The Brodhead Watershed Association and Friends of Cherry Valley will co-host October 19 hike in the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge just outside Stroudsburg in Monroe County.
The Wildlife Refuge encompasses more than 6,000 acres – a safe haven for birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals large and small. Included in that haven are the headwaters of Cherry Creek.
The hike will take participants to a secluded spot folded deep in a wooded, steep-sided hollow. It will be a challenging loop hike of about two miles. Very rocky underfoot and often steep.
The Friends of Cherry Valley, now headed by Deb Schuler, over a decade ago embarked on the mission to protect Cherry Valley and its creek.
“It started with an idea,” Schuler said. “For generations, farmers and other landowners had safeguarded the clean waters and unique natural habitats of Cherry Valley. But things were changing.”
Habitat was being broken up. Pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals were damaging land and water, birds and mammals, fish, reptiles and amphibians.
Local residents, conservationists and conservation groups united to protect the valley’s history, agricultural heritage and natural resources.
BWA received a grant to develop a River Conservation Plan for Cherry Valley. The Friends of Cherry Valley was born. The idea of a national wildlife refuge here took root.
In December 2008, with an act of Congress, Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge was approved. Now, it’s the home of 80 threatened and endangered species.
A hiker can go a long way and never find anywhere more refreshing than this idyllic spot, brought to you by a community whose idea changed things for good.
The October 19 hike will last from 10:00 a.m. to Noon and directions will be given at registration.
The hike is free, but registration is required. To register, call 570-839-1120 or 570-629-2727 or send email to: info@brodheadwatershed.org.
For information about this and other hikes, visit the Get Outdoors Poconos webpage. The hike series is administered by Brodhead Watershed Association and supported by a grant from the William Penn Foundation.
For more information on programs, initiatives, other upcoming events and how you can get involved, visit the Brodhead Watershed Association website and the Friends of Cherry Valley Facebook page.
(Photo: Cherry Creek headwaters, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.)
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