I have been involved with photography since the late 1960's. I started blogging in 2007, for me a much newer activity. I've been publicly advocating for the parks and WPA since 2009, although privately much longer. It's not often that I get to combine most of my interests in one image, but that's the case shown above.
The Robin Hood section of Lehigh Parkway is arguably the most iconic of our park system. The bridge over the Little Lehigh was the last WPA project, built in 1941, and ties the park together. The weed wall shown, mostly invasive poison hemlock, put simply is a crime against the city's iconic park system.
I'm hoping that the new Parknership has the fairness to include me on their board.
Those hideous weed walls are a perfect representation of today’s Allentown, PA.
ReplyDeleteAll weeds represent NEGLECT, DECLINE, and DISINTEREST. They are a BLIGHT that, left unchecked, SPREADS its ugly nature to all that lives nearby.
What kind of fools in government would allow such a condition to continue?
Hey, Allentown. Clean-up your damn house and maybe visitors will want to enter and possibly stay, spend money and help you to prosper. Now, you are a failed enterprise many good folks are choosing to avoid.
That 'weed wall" is actually a riparian buffer and serves important functions as a barrier and filter. You could argue its better to have native plants primarily but the good thing about poison hemlock is no animals eat it so the riparian buffer is very secure
Deleteanon@6:59: In Allentown the storm sewers are piped directly into the streams, making the buffer argument pointless. Between the hemlock and the broken dam debris around the previously beautiful bridge piers, it is a crime scene. BTW, that dam was only 10 inches high, and designed to compliment the bridge.
DeleteThe weed walls were a “feel good, save the planet” effort that thinking people realize could have been avoided. The benefit of such minuscule adjustment to Earth is practically silly.
DeleteLocal humans, animals, and insects did just fine here for hundreds of years when our relatively small lengths of streams running through local public spaces were trimmed, well-kept, and suitable for all to closely observe and experience first hand.
There are MILES and MILES of stream banks existing through Allentown in non-publicly accessible sections, like behind factories, along railroad beds, and roadways, that are better utilized for us to do your “environmental thing.” without destroying public park sections.
Ever visit the extensive canal systems running through better managed cities like Indianapolis, San Antonio, and other tourist destinations? All utilize much longer mileage WITHOUT weed walls.
Here’s a secret. All living creatures ADAPT to live. The fish, the bugs, the ducks, etc. will always find the best suitable location for their normal activities. Such might be just a few hundred yards away from the public leisure sections. Everyone’s sun will come up for another day.
The wildlands people fail to differentiate between natural land cover and a park. They can have all the riperian bufffers they want in natural land cover areas. A park is for human recreation, and the land is groomed for that effect.
DeleteCut the damn weeds down so humans can enjoy the park and the stream as a recreation area. They were not there for decades and they aren't needed now.
Sadly the buffer destroyed the vistas that were a large part of the parks’ original design. The willow trees provided a root system broad enough to “filter” and hold topsoil, but many of the original willows have not been replanted as they have been removed. The park was never meant to be a 100% “natural” space. It was designed to be maintained for people to use, enjoy, learn from, and live with. The weed walls are ridiculous in a historic space designed for public use.
ReplyDeleteAllentown Lehigh Parkway's inappropriate, pointless, false, unnatural, contrived "riparian buffer" diminishes the park's beauty and function which is as a designed, manicured, maintained natural garden purposed to provide people with the opportunity to be in a controlled, tranquil setting a short distance from or within the City's built, urban environment. Conversely, the Little Lehigh Creek, over its full length as is appropriate, has miles of real, natural riparian buffer grown and maintained by nature. Why is the City government confusing the two - money, politics, political correctness, weakness, pandering, stupidity....? Why are you confused?
ReplyDeleteYou have just described the Allentown city government in a single sentence.
DeleteAllentown’s asinine weed walls came about for all the reasons you suggested. No doubt, before the damage was done someone pointed out there was federal money available to some environmental group to make it all possible. Money laundering of some of that money? I have no idea.
DeleteAt the time, no one in Allentown’s leadership had the foresight, the COURAGE to just say “NO.” Besides, think how much of our Parks Department budget can be saved by not having to mow right up to the stream banks, and to not have to rake-up the Weeping Willow droppings.
For decades, it seems, Allentown has elected stupid people to government. I once owned three well-maintained properties in Allentown. Then, I saw the handwriting on the wall and sold it all for greener pastures nearby with a better future.
6:59 - I believe the “riparian buffer” nonsense was started under Pawlowski as a way to justify his diminished level of park maintenance. The Wildlands Conservancy support for that farce was bought off by pointless grants, one of which led to the destruction of the Robin Hood Dam.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, one bad policy decision by City Hall is followed by another.
As noted by MM, the storm sewers are piped directly into the stream, making the “riparian buffer” a useless eyesore.
We have now had three mayors (or more accurately three blind mice) who could care less about the park system and are unable to recognize it for the jewel that it is.
Dams are bad for stream environments. As originally found by European settlers, North American streams were choked by dams built by a specie whose origins may lie in pre-Ice Age mammal evolution called beavers. The Anglo westerners’ scientific superiority wisely overrode the neglect of millennia of forest management by the Native Americans, and embarked on a program to eradicate the destructive forces. After merely four centuries, the second phase of neutralizing dam builders is well underway. Action against human imitators of the beaver is in full swing, and wild beavers are nearly eradicated in much of the continent. Soon, Theeeerber e. Weill <>. NOW, WHAT ARE BEAVERS GOOD FOR AGAIN? (bseg, from a really sarcastic Euro)
ReplyDeleteBeavers are very good for hats :)...but I print your comment because the Wildlands Conservancy generalizes environmental fads for their profit. (administrative 15% fee). Although the 10 inch high Robin Hood Dam was very low, and the Little Lehigh only has Trout from stocking, they prevailed upon City Council for permission to demolish it. Visual insult to injury they piped the broken concrete around the stone piers, rather than haul it away. That debris now grows saplings and weeds. They despoiled the beauty of the bridge. They almost prevailed upon South Whitehall to demolish Wehr's Dam. I requested a two week delay, in which time others became informed, and a movement started to save the dam...it took two years and a referendum to save it.
DeleteI follow this post with interest. My conclusion is you either agree with a buffer or you don't, and you base that decision on whatever expert you align with. I have been to many national parks, treasures of our country, and they rely on experts whose knowledge at the time casts the direction for the parks health and well-being. Hopefully this new partnership will offer a sound mentality. I am in support of healthy parks. Those that support wildlife. Those that will keep the parks open and available to all. I can live with a buffer of that is what is the informed direction.
ReplyDelete