Abington Junior High aims to preserve creek banks

Abington School District and the Tookany/ Tacony Frankford Watershed Partnership are joining forces to improve the health of Baeder Creek.

Members of TTF and student volunteers will plant a 16,000-square-foot riparian buffer at Abington Junior High School Oct. 13.

A riparian buffer is a vegetated area that helps to shade and partially protect a stream from the impact of nearby land uses, according to a recent press release.

TTF Executive Director Julie Slavet said planting will occur at the Junior High School between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 100 volunteers are expected.

TTF wanted to partner with the school district because the eastern branch of Baeder Creek, which is one of TTF’s main headwater streams, begins at the junior high, Slavet said.

“Whatever happens upstream affects the health of the creek downstream,” she said. “The biggest pollutant is storm-water runoff.”

Invasive plants will be removed and native plants will be added, she said.

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In addition to the junior high school, Abington Township Environmental Council and NAM Planning and Design LLC are also assisting in this project.

Funding for the initiative has been provided by a TreeVitalize Watershed grant through the Department of Environmental Protection and Aqua Pennsylvania.

TTF has received $10,600 through the grant and an additional $11,000 from an anonymous donor, Slavet said.

A groundbreaking for the project was held at the Abington Junior High School Sept. 21. Members of TTF, EAC, faculty and members of the junior high school Green Thumb club attended.

“[This project] will have an impact on the community,” said science teacher Jeremy Fo- gle. “It will get students aware of the creeks’ value, get them thinking and get them dirty.”

“It also allows students to apply science knowledge in a hands-on way,” added fellow science teacher Christina Rooney.

Students at the groundbreaking said they are looking forward to the project.

“We really want to make other kids, not in Green Thumbs, aware of environmental issues,” said Celia Myerov.

“In past years Green Thumbs planted trees and did a garbage pickup around campus,” said Kailey Labovitz. “We want to take our time, clean up the school, and do something good.”

In an effort to raise awareness about the project and educate residents, an informational meeting was held Oct. 1 at the school district’s administration building.

“We invited 600 community members to the meeting,” Slavet said at the groundbreaking. “In Abington and Cheltenham townships, the creek runs alongside people’s backyards. We wanted to tell them how we all can be good stewards [of the creek].”

To learn more about the Abington riparian buffer planting project visit www.ttfwatershed. org.