Lower Perkiomen Park Native Plant Restoration  Oaks, PA

KMS worked with the Montgomery County Department of Parks and Recreation to restore meadow, lawn and forested areas cleared for construction of a sanitary sewer line. KMS was asked for help because of its reputation for work with riparian corridors and understanding of native plant communities. The project involved replication/reestablishment of forest, riparian and meadow plant communities, some of which are in flood plain areas.

​

A detailed site evaluation revealed isolated ecosystems, including upland forest, wetland forest, riparian corridor, wetlands, dry slopes and areas subject to periodic flooding, all of which needed specialized plantings. KMS developed the approach, inventoried forest, riparian buffer and meadow composition and prepared the plans and specifications needed to bid and install the project. There sulting plans included multiple seed mixes and woody plant associations designed for adaptability to the specific site conditions.

​

The specifications written for the project required removal of existing noxious vegetation without disturbing the existing grade prior to seeding to avoid disruption of the seed bank and are cursion of the invasive species. Among the specialized planting
techniques used was the incorporation of seed blends with compost to permit even distribution of the extremely small seeds and provide a lightcovertoprotecttheseedsandcreateamoisturelayertoencouragegermination. Other planting techniques included planting bare root, containerized, and balled and burlapped trees and shrubs to give the diverse sizes and species typical of a newly re-generating forest.

​

The work took place alongside a very active hiking/biking trail and areas used for environmental educational activities attended by school-aged children. Of particular importance for this project was scheduling the work, and particularly the herbicide applications needed to remove invasive vegetation without disturbing scheduled activities or trail users. KMS worked with the Parks Department to create the plans and provide construction contract administration services to make sure the contractor adhered to the work plan. To assure public safety, KMS worked with the contractor and the Department to develop a coordinated work schedule that allowed the contractor safe access to the site while minimizing disruption to the park and park users.