The back stories are that Pawlowski's first of several park directors all had the same background in recreation from Penn State, and asked the Wildlands for advise about park issues. The Wildlands back story is that they get to keep 15% of all government grants that they apply for, as an administrative fee. Riparian Buffers are supposed to filter the lawn fertilizer in water runoff from entering the streams. The ignored reality in the Allentown Parks is that the storm system is piped directly into the streams, under any buffer planted. Across Cedar Creek behind the Rose Garden, a large concrete structure discharges the entire runoff from the Hamilton Park neighborhood, directly into the creek. Likewise, several pipes empty the West End directly into the creek. So, for twenty years, we park devotees have been enduring weed walls all summer, blocking view and access to the creeks. Worse, this summer the city allowed the Wildlands to plant over a hundred tree saplings out from the creek, to expand the width of the masquerade. This area will soon also not be mowed, because mowing between closely planted trees is very labor intensive.
The current park director is asking the city for additional funds to study water runoff. The free answer is in the above paragraph. I would be happy to recommend needed repairs to various WPA structures within our parks, providing some value for that money.
Shown above is the weed wall in Cedar Park during the summer.
I'm not here to be polite or popular
There is such a thing as surface storm water run off. Cedar Beach is a park but also designed to collect both types (surface and piped from the surrounding West End neighborhoods. No, the buffers are not as attractive as manicured, but they serve a purpose as well. Communities make the trade off- looks or the environment. I would argue that Covered Bridge Park is an example of that.
ReplyDeleteThe design of Cedar Beach Park had little or nothing to do with the concept of increased water runoff from the W.End.
DeleteDisagree. Respectfully. It collects storm water from the west end . If it is piped to the park. The park was designed for it.
DeleteCollected where? In the pool?
DeleteThe park floods regularly. Lake Mullenberg has been a wetland forever.
The flooding is caused by upstream development beyod the City borders, where former farm fileds that let water seep into the groud, have been built up with housing, roads and commercial development all involving pavements that create imprevious surfaces. In the 4+ decades I have lived in Allentown, I recall that in the 70s and 80s the park rarely flooded, maybe once every few years after major rainstorms, whereas, now it floods practically after every rain. The immediate surrounding area has not siginifcanly changed, but further upstream all the development that took place is now contributing to the flooding.
Deleteanon@7:10: The Allentown Parks were designed in the mid 1920's as parks, not as run off venues. There were no buffers until 2007. Willow trees were designated to protect against bank erosion, with their shallow spreading roots, planted 30 ft. apart. I'm not opposed to new environmental ideas, but they should not compromise the iconic sections of our parks, such as the Rose Gardens or Robin Hood.
ReplyDeleteIn the mid nineteen twenties there was not thousands of square acres of hardscape with the attendant runoff coming from upstream draining into the LL watershed.
DeleteI seem to recall the justification for getting rid of the willows was they were non-native and/or invasive. While they are certainly non-native, I have never seen them spread beyond a river bank, which makes them ideal for their intended purpose of providing a scenic way of stabilizing an urban riparian system. Chopping them down because they don't meet some sort of ideal seems to me a perfect example of academic perfect-world-thinking in a non-perfect World.
ReplyDeleteWillows are beautiful but they don’t stabilize the stream back.
DeleteWillows are not invasive and for all the bad information bantered about over the years the ideas that “willows are invasive” was not included in the mix.
DeleteThe Google/AI consensus seems to be that they stabilize river banks and are considered to be invasive. Again, I haven't seen them spread in the park environment.
DeleteWell if you needed further proof that AI and Google is as often as not bullshit you got it when it told you Willows were invasive.
DeleteWade down the creek sometime and discover the holes under every Willow.
anon@11:00: They have not chopped down any of the willows, however, they are at the end of their lifecycle, and none have been planted as replacements for the ones removed, from bothg die off and storms.
ReplyDeleteI recall about 10-12 years ago on the Pavillion side of the creek across from the Rose Garden, there were several that had been hacked about half-way through. At the time, my first thought was some sort of butt-head vandalism, but shortly thereafter, the weed walls and other "modern" practices were instituted, and I guess I assumed actively getting rid of the willows was part of it. So maybe it was actually vandalism?
DeleteThe Willows are 90 years old, and most were severely damaged in storms. To the department's credit, some of the willows were trimmed back to prolong their life. Some were beyond saving. In all of Cedar Park, I only know of one that was planted in recent years, and it is back from the creek.
Delete5:53 PM - The willows were heavily damaged by the remnants of superstorm Sandy, which left may broken around the time you mention.
DeleteThe willows do stabilize the banks, their roots seek water and spread out.( I saw a few completely uprooted from Hurricane Diane in 1955). They were recommended to Harry Trexler by the leading landscape architect in the country. Much of the West End was already established with streets and houses in the 20's, before the park(s) was created in the 30's.
ReplyDeleteI watched the Wildlands eager volunteers and their salaried experts plant this fall city's cooperation. We lost so much of our parks already to their faux expertise.
1. Fish Hatchery Dam, resulting in the largest fish kill since the hatchery was created.
2. Robin Hood Dam, only 10 inches high, designed to add sound to the Bridge in 1941.
3. Almost lost Wehr's Dam in Covered Bridge Park
4. Tried to talk Easton out of the Chain Dam.
5. Etc.Etc. Etc.
Under every Willow along the bank there is a large hole making the water two or three feet deeper.
DeleteEvery fisherman knows this as well as anyone who wades along the creek.
Cut grass as designated.
ReplyDeleteThe photo accompanying the post doesn’t show a riparian buffer, it shows ignorance and neglect. Legit riparian buffers can be thoughtful integrated into a park system along with classical landscape design.
ReplyDeleteTo frame the issue as either /or does not advance intelligent management strategies.
mj adams
Past member of the Allentown EAC and the Allentown Shade Tree Commission.
adams@6:41: to have a legitimate buffer, keeping the invasives cut out (poison hemlock) would require more labor than just clear mowing, as prior to 2007. So, there is no way that they city can afford a legitimate buffer, but only a weed wall.
DeleteCorrect you are, sir.
DeleteA well regulated riparian buffer, like a wildflower meadow takes sill and hard work to maintain. Nothing requires less skill, motivation or commitment than riding a fat ass on a giant John Deere mower. The mowing was only interrupted by the set-up,operation and maintenance of Blights in the Parkway.
An amazing and puzzling situation that we will get tickets for not cutting our grass yet the park system gets a pass for letting our once manicured parks look unkempt and like the dickens!!! Essentially Allentown's theme song... anything goes!!!
ReplyDeleteThe reason why willows blow over so frequently is that they are shallow rooted trees, hence marginally suited for stabilizing soil.
ReplyDeleteanon@6:56: except for Hurricane Diane in 1955, the most powerful storm to ever hit the Lehigh Valley, I never saw any blow over, and then only a few out of hundreds.
ReplyDelete