Rusty Spinner
Active member
This has been brewing for some time, but the Fred Burroughs/North Jersey TU chapter is announcing a river restoration/fish habitat enhancement project slated for the BFB in the proposed new TCA section (Blewett Tract downstream to the Roy Bridge, a length of approx. 1 1/2 miles).
We will begin with a survey and subsequent design of the work to be performed on June 16th. Our chapter meeting in Jefferson (Home) on the 16th will have our river restoration guru, Joseph Urbani of Urbani Fisheries out of Bozeman, MT as our presenter that evening. Joe will give a PP presentation of river restoration demonstrating his leading edge techniques of "bedload manipulation", the most natural looking in-river work that you will see anywhere in channel work is being done. Please feel free to come out and hear more about the project and ask questions of Joe or the chapter stream restoration committee (or ask me, Kindanewbie, NJPatbee, or leakywaders on NEFF). No need to be a TU member to attend our meeting.
In addition to the in-river work, we have begun to identify using GPS coord. all areas within the proposed TCA and upstream on both the Big and Little Flatbrook Rivers in need of improved riparian buffer plantings. We have an initial planting project on Saturday, August 7th with more plantings planned for spring of 2011 and beyond. These plantings are needed to cool/shade the river and to hold its banks in place. Some sites in need will have to wait until we have completed the in-river work as some banks need to be re-graded before we can plant them.
In addition, the chapter is looking into a float stocking program to begin in the fall for this stretch with the possibility of additional stretches if we have enough volunteers on Fridays of in-season stockings and the preseason stocking for the Flatbrook.
Much work will be needed to raise the funds we would like to see spent in the river over the next 2 to 3 years. More on ways interested folks can help financially over the coming days and weeks...but we are hoping to fund this in excess of $50,000 using mainly TU chapter funds raised through our many fund raising activities, volunteer work hours, free plant materials for much of the riparian buffers, and donations and grants wherever we can find them.
We will begin with a survey and subsequent design of the work to be performed on June 16th. Our chapter meeting in Jefferson (Home) on the 16th will have our river restoration guru, Joseph Urbani of Urbani Fisheries out of Bozeman, MT as our presenter that evening. Joe will give a PP presentation of river restoration demonstrating his leading edge techniques of "bedload manipulation", the most natural looking in-river work that you will see anywhere in channel work is being done. Please feel free to come out and hear more about the project and ask questions of Joe or the chapter stream restoration committee (or ask me, Kindanewbie, NJPatbee, or leakywaders on NEFF). No need to be a TU member to attend our meeting.
In addition to the in-river work, we have begun to identify using GPS coord. all areas within the proposed TCA and upstream on both the Big and Little Flatbrook Rivers in need of improved riparian buffer plantings. We have an initial planting project on Saturday, August 7th with more plantings planned for spring of 2011 and beyond. These plantings are needed to cool/shade the river and to hold its banks in place. Some sites in need will have to wait until we have completed the in-river work as some banks need to be re-graded before we can plant them.
In addition, the chapter is looking into a float stocking program to begin in the fall for this stretch with the possibility of additional stretches if we have enough volunteers on Fridays of in-season stockings and the preseason stocking for the Flatbrook.
Much work will be needed to raise the funds we would like to see spent in the river over the next 2 to 3 years. More on ways interested folks can help financially over the coming days and weeks...but we are hoping to fund this in excess of $50,000 using mainly TU chapter funds raised through our many fund raising activities, volunteer work hours, free plant materials for much of the riparian buffers, and donations and grants wherever we can find them.
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