Tanner Haid, the Eastern Panhandle Field Coordinator of West Virginia Rivers wrote an exceptional article on our work in the Widmyer Wetlands:

FInding peace in Nature: Widmyer Wetlands

https://wvrivers.org/2021/06/widmyerwetlands/

Enjoy.

Cacapon Institute is seeking a design contractor to draw plans for the Natural Stream Restoration at Widmyer Elementary and Berkeley Springs High School, Berkeley Springs, WV.

The RFP is available at www.cacaponinstitute.org.

Time is of the essence. Proposals are due February 1st and the completed design must be finished by June 1, 2021.

We anticipate the designs for two segments of steam (~2,000 feet total) to cost $40,000 (+/-) but all proposals will be accepted and considered. Inquiries are welcome.

For more information, contact

Frank F. Rodgers

Executive Director

Cacapon Institute

#10 Rockford Rd

Great Cacapon, WV 25422

304-258-8013 (o) 304-240-2721 (c) 304-258-7657 (h)

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The Warm Springs Watershed Association is sponsoring a Rain Garden Workshop, Tuesday November 10, from 10am to 1pmon Congress Street in downtown Berkeley Springs.

Learn about the Rain Gardens on Congress Street, a Town of Bath public works project, funded in part by a WV Chesapeake Bay Implementation grant.

Master Gardener volunteer credit is approved for attendance. Come prepared to help plant the beds for more credit hours.

For more information please email [email protected]

After a covid-19 semi-annual hiatus, work resumed on our major project this year, the boardwalk, bridge and walking paths in the Wetlands in front of the Widmyer Elementary School on Rt 522 south of Berkeley Springs.

The superfluous grass growth between the wetland stream and the sports oval was extensively cutback.  The 5 sections of the boardwalk were installed and the planking is now 60% complete.  The Boy Scout Troop 12 installed the bridge on Oct 3.  The last two days have seen the meadows cut back behind the wetland to clear out old growth (honeysuckle, greenbrier, grass) to make the scenery attractive and to lay out a path from the bridge to the existing stone walk.

A good time was had by all and lots of volunteer hours have been accumulated.  Unfortunately I cannot upload photos here (temporary problem) but the FaceBook page has several.

Our first group project since March is the installation of the boardwalk in the Widmyer Wetlands near the Widmyer Elementary School. The frames were built last spring by the Ag-Mechanics class let by Dave Aberegg at the High School.

On Aug 31, Bob Wurster led a 'demonstration project' to set the first platform.  Seven masked women and men put in a fine morning digging out waterlogged post holes, trimming legs, leveling the walk and carrying the other walks into positions for continuing work when the rain abates.

The demo was so successfull that between Sep 6 and 8,  the remaining 4 sections were laid in  place.  The faithful 5 (Bob, Tim, Kate, Andy and Rebecca) completed the job on Tuesday morning.

There's more work - filling in post holes, deck boards, stairs and weeding. But not today!

(PS Uploading photos is not working at the moment.  Check our Facebook page...)