Date: May 4, 2012
Contact: Jeff Reinbold, (814) 893-6322
Somerset - Across the nation, people took to the national parks in late-April not only to visit, but also to roll up their sleeves. They worked on projects to improve the parks and help others learn about these special places. It was no different here in western Pennsylvania. Almost 10,000 people visited and volunteered at the five national park sites across the region during National Park Week, which ran from April 21 to April 29.
At Fort Necessity National Battlefield, the National Park Service opened the traveling exhibit Emissaries of Peace: 1762 Cherokee & British Delegations, 250th Anniversary in partnership with the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. Volunteers from the Friends of Fort Necessity helped with the launch of the exhibit as well as living history programs and the introduction of a new web-based junior ranger program for kids. Members of the Cherokee Nation will return on July 7 and 8 for Cherokee Cultural Heritage Festival. The exhibit kicks-off a summer of activities at both Fort Necessity National Battlefield (www.nps.gov/fone) and nearby Friendship Hill National Historic Site (www.nps.gov/frhi).
Volunteers also gathered at Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site and Johnstown Flood National Memorial to participate in the United Way -- National Park Service Day of Caring. Volunteers re-vegetated areas of the parks and removed over 7,000 garlic mustard plants, a non-native, exotic species. According to Natural Resource Specialist Kathy Penrod, the volunteer effort stopped the spread of about six million seeds into the park. Other activities and events are planned throughout the summer at the Johnstown Flood National Memorial (www.nps.gov/jofl) and Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site (www.nps.gov/alpo).
And at the Flight 93 National Memorial, 600 volunteers donated more than 1,500 hours over two weekends to plant trees. Almost 15,000 trees were planted as part of a multi-year effort to continue reforestation of the reclaimed mining site.
National Park Service Superintendent Jeff Reinbold, said, "Local residents have been key in establishing these parks. It's very rewarding to see a new generation of people come forward to help care for these places and share the stories of these sites with others."
The five national park sites in western Pennsylvania are: Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Flight 93 National Memorial, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, and Johnstown Flood National Memorial.
