Courtesy of Tim Pohlar
GREENFIELD, Ohio — May 14 marked the annual MHS Day, where McClain High School students and staff performed various tasks in service to the community.
On May 14, the Arc of Appalachia staff hosted 90 students at three different sites, simultaneously, within the Highlands Nature Sanctuary (HNS) region, about a 20-minute drive outside both Hillsboro and Greenfield.
The Highlands boasts a dozen different hiking trails, with more to come, showcasing the breathtaking scenery and botanical diversity of the Rocky Fork Gorge, preserving over 3,000 acres along its length. Our main visitor center, the Appalachian Forest Museum on Cave Road, is the best place to start. HNS is the headquarters preserve for the Arc of Appalachia, a non-profit organization, which works to preserve the best of Ohio’s natural areas, with over 20 different preserve regions throughout southern and eastern Ohio, many with public hiking trails.
The day dedicated to the extension of service to the greater school district community was very beneficial for us, allowing us to make significant strides in areas that are on our wish list, but are beyond the scope of what our staffing levels allow. Like most nonprofit organizations, we rely on the dedication and benevolence of volunteers in order to accomplish our chosen mission.
• At Ridgeview Farm trails, the students worked removing non-native, invasive plants from two different areas. We completed work in an area that has been challenging us for over 10 years. In another area, we made enough progress that it now appears that we can actually get that acre or two cleared of invasives for the first time ever. The reason invasive plant removal matters is that once the honeysuckle and multiflora rose are removed, native plants, especially ephemeral spring wildflowers, will begin to reappear in the landscape. In many cases, these flowers have been missing for decades, or even longer.
• At the second site, the future Sanctuary West Trailhead, 30 students banded together to remove an old wire fence line along the main road and its tangled, unsightly overgrowth. Their work has significantly enhanced the beauty of the surrounding community and for the many future visitors to these trails. From start to finish, these students came off the bus smiling and ready to help, and they tore right into it, all sharing in their collective victory. Their efforts have helped kickstart the installation of a new trailhead and public trail. Once completed, visitors will be able to enjoy the new God’s Country trail, with its graceful meadow grasslands, meanderings along the Rocky Fork Creek, and a wildlife observation blind.
• At our third site, Cliff Run Preserve and its future trails, the students all jumped right into the care and mulching of one hundred oak saplings from last year’s tree planting. They worked together, getting their hands dirty and loving it, pulling weeds, and adding a heavy layer of wood chips, which were provided by our local electric cooperative, South Central Power and Asplundh. Not only did they complete this task, they also removed a long section of old woven wire fencing along the road, which will allow us to maintain a clean edge and help enhance the beauty of the roadside and preserve entrance. To top it off, Arc staff member Ethan King even brought popsicles for an after-work treat.
Chris Fitzpatrick from the McClain High School and myself coordinated the details for these work projects, and the day went off very smoothly, and it felt like a true win-win situation. You could really tell that the students were really enjoying the work and getting a lot out of it, not only team building, but also just the joy and value of hard work for the betterment of the community. Our deepest gratitude and thanks to all the students and school staff who helped contribute to the success of the day.
For more information, visit ArcofAppalachia.org.
