Blog by Ryan Neuman, TTF’s Upstream Conservation Leader
Our creek improvement efforts are continuing this fall at Alverthorpe Park in Abington, where we recently installed and planted the latest project in our award winning Jenkintown Creek Restoration efforts. This is our seventh project within our focus area of the Jenkintown Creek headwaters, funded through the Delaware River Restoration Fund of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation as part of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative established by the William Penn Foundation.
In late September, over 20 hard working volunteers joined us to plant native plants in a new rain garden. They planted over 1,000 species of native plants including cardinal flower, Allegheny monkeyflower, Black-eyed Susan, Goldenrod, New England Aster, Purple Coneflower, Willowleaf Sunflower, and Blueflag. Many of these plants will produce attractive blooms in the spring and summer, which will add beauty to the grounds while also helping to filter pollutants out of the water as it passes through the feature.
Volunteers included Abington EAC members, a PowerCorps PHL crew, Abington Senior High School and Montgomery County Community College students, and a few of our wonderful Streamkeepers and Board Director Maria Kiernan as well! 
This project is located between the tennis courts and the parking lot adjacent to the Forrest Avenue park entrance. The feature manages stormwater runoff from the 38,000 square foot parking lot. Projects like this help to slow down this runoff before it enters the creek, filtering out pollutants and trash along the way. This feature includes amended soils, increase the infiltration rate of water back into the ground.
We would like to thank all the volunteers who participated in this planting. Your hard work and positive attitudes made this a success. We’d also like to thank Abington Township for your support and cooperation.
Enjoy photos from the planting day.
Want to volunteer with us? Learn more and sign up here.
