JAMESTOWN, Ky. (Feb.
22, 2016) – A determined group of Army Junior
ROTC cadets from Pulaski County High School and Southwestern High School planted
4,000 seedlings as part of a once-in-a-lifetime environmental restoration
opportunity at a disposal area near Wolf Creek Dam today.
Over the span
of a seven-year rehabilitation project at the dam, the Corps disposed rock and
soil removed from the earthen portion of the dam into a 30-acre plot of land
nearby the dam. Planting trees in the disposal area now serves to reestablish
the area back to its original state.
Early in the
morning, 53 cadets received a safety briefing from Ranger Tyler Matthews on
planting procedures and how to safely use a dibble bar. A dibble bar is a “T” shaped bar inserted in the
ground. It is rocked back and forth while
also pushing down with a foot to create a hole large enough to plant a
seedling.
The seedlings
were purchased by Grider Hill Marina for this project as part of a mitigation
plan for the construction of an additional parking lot at the marina.
Corps officials
said planting the seedlings is vital for both soil erosion control and aesthetics
of the area that visitors have come to expect and appreciate.
The cadets organized
their ranks and delegated the tasks to carry the seedlings, plant them using
the dibble bar, and then to place dirt around the roots.
Matthews said
the cadets were able to give back to the environment and community through
selfless-service, which stays with them for a lifetime. He added that the event is an overall success
for the community, the environment and future sustainability of the region, and
is a source of pride for the cadets.
“It's
an environmental impact the students are going to be able to come back 20 years
with their family and say, ‘I had a hand in reestablishing that area.’ I feel it will have a positive impact on
their lives and family when they can come back and see it,” said Sgt. 1st Class Stanley Andrews, Pulaski County High School Army Junior
ROTC cadet.
The day’s work
ended around 1:30 p.m. Cadets gathered to
sit and relax while several parents rewarded them by grilling hamburgers and
hot dogs for lunch.
With the work
complete, generation after generation can enjoy the resources and habitat that
was created in one day of hard work, and the cadets enjoyed the experience.
"We had
fun learning to plant trees and how much space they need to grow,” said Maj. Bekkah
Trachtenburg, battalion commander of Pulaski County High School Army Junior ROTC.
Lake Cumberland’s Corps of Engineers park rangers
hosted the event and it took a lot of collaboration for the Junior ROTC’s
volunteer work and Grider Hill’s mitigation plan to be executed. Other rangers assisting with the day’s events
were Judy Daulton and Robert Hill.
(For
news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville
District go to the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil,
on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps
and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps. Also follow Lake Cumberland on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/lakecumberland.)