Warm Springs watershed group gets $75K grant to restore native trees, shrubs along bypass
Continuing its work to monitor the health and cleanliness of the Warm Springs Run, especially after the construction of the U.S. 522 Bypass in the run watershed, the Warm Springs Run Watershed Association will be using a new grant to restore native plant life.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust has awarded the Warm Springs Watershed Association a $75,000 Storm Smart Chesapeake Grant to restore native trees and shrubs along the Berkeley Springs Bypass corridor.
According to the group, the new grant will pay for restoration of selected areas within the bypass right-of-way using native trees and shrubs. Selected plant varieties will be chosen for their value to pollinators and birds, for their drought tolerance, deer resistance, and ability to be low-maintenance.
“This project has been a priority for our organization since before construction of the bypass began,” said Kate Lehman, president of watershed group. “Reestablishing tree canopy is an important investment in the long-term health of the watershed, which also controls stormwater flooding.”
With support from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, Warm Springs Watershed led a collaborative sharing and education session that brought together federal and state agencies, local partners, and technical experts to create consensus about how to restore and care for nearly 10% of the watershed that was cleared and reshaped upstream of the Town of Bath.
The West Virginia Division of Highways provided guidelines and mapping for areas that could be safely replanted. West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Potomac Basin staff backed the natural restoration approach that the watershed organization outlined for funding.
Warm Springs Run Watershed organizers and volunteers will use natural restoration techniques that improve soil conditions while accelerating forest recovery, they said of the upcoming project.
Decomposing woody material will be incorporated around newly planted trees to improve root development, increase soil organic matter, and retain moisture in the rocky shale soils characteristic of the site.
“Native trees have a difficult time becoming established once invasive plants dominate these disturbed areas,” said Rebecca MacLeod, WSWA project leader. “By improving soil conditions through adding decomposing woody material and selecting hardy West Virginia native species, we can speed up natural succession and create a landscape that benefits birds and pollinators, water quality, and the scenic beauty of the road. Depending on site conditions, these areas should develop into self-sustaining native habitats within three to five years,” said MacLeod.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Storm Smart Chesapeake program supports projects that reduce stormwater runoff, improve water quality, and strengthen community resilience throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Because the Warm Springs Run empties into the Potomac River, it is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay.
Watershed members said additional support for the restoration effort is being provided by the West Virginia Stream Partners Program and the Morgan County Commission as work begins over the coming year.