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The Shenango River Watchers
By Kelly Meinhart, Producer
y adventure to the Shenango River watershed took me to within
just four miles of the Pennsylvania/Ohio border. This was my
first trip to the watershed and I was excited! I was heading
west to visit with the Shenango River Watchers, and to visit
a project that’s been in the works for about a year. I
was there to see the building of a community gathering spot,
canoe launch, picnic area, and ultimately the connection of
the downtown to the riverbank – via riverside trail.
 he
site the River Watchers chose to build this public area had
previously been a bit of a thorn in the side of the community.
Overgrown with brush and debris, the riverbank area had become
an illegal dumping spot and late night party area.
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the potential in the spot, the River Watchers contacted local
officials and suggested building something positive for the
entire community. One year later, the Shenango River Canoe Launch
area is in completion! The group, headed up by President Jennifer
Barborak and Vice President Rick Barborak, began by painstakingly
removing the debris and garbage, along with a lot of Poison
Ivy – which Jennifer unfortunately got the brunt of. All
in all the volunteers cleared the area and got it ready for
the next phase – the construction.
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and Jennifer got in touch with Jim Mondok of the Mercer County
Conservation District, who put them in touch with the Pennsylvania
Conservation Corp. The group is a unique combination of students
in the environmental field who want to get hands-on experience.
For three days in April 2003, the students along with watershed
volunteers constructed the two pavilions and the canoe launch,
while others began clearing back the brush that was taking over
the walking path. he
group plans to install picnic tables and interpretive signs
along with planting a variety of trees and shrubs to make
the area a beautiful site for the entire community to enjoy.
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his
was just my first trip to the Shenango River watershed; I plan
to head back there this summer to visit Jennifer, Rick and their
energetic board to help out with one of their many scheduled
cleanup events. We also plan to tour the watershed a bit more
to learn about the unique diversity of wildlife in the area
– including a visit to the Shenango River Lake, which
has been designated as an “Important Bird Area”
or IBA, by Pennsylvania Audubon. It’s a favorite spot
for birders because the shoreline is like a magnet for migrating
and nesting species. I’m looking forward to seeing Bald
Eagles, Ospreys, and a variety of Warblers and sandpipers. So
be sure to check back in the upcoming months for more about
the Shenango River Watershed and the River Watchers.
 or
more information about the Shenango River Watchers and the watershed,
check out their website at www.Shenangoriverwatchers.org.
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