Crow’s Nest: JROTC cleans up—again!

By Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager.

Over the last few years the Owen J. Roberts Junior Reserve Officers Training Program has extended a hand to clean up at Warwick Woods, picking though soil to clean up tons of small pieces of demolition debris, and pulling larger junk out of the woods. Now that this work is mostly finished, the JROTC students returned for another project for which there was no easy solution other than many willing hands.

Photo: Daniel Barringer

Years ago a pile of gravel, the material used to line the campground roads, was pushed into the trees where heavy equipment could not retrieve it without damaging the trees. Only hand tools—hoes, shovels, and rakes—could be used to separate the gravel from the trunks of the trees against which it was piled.

Photo: Daniel Barringer

Removing it improves the health of the trees, and in a case of good fortune, we needed gravel for an adjacent trail. The JROTC students dug out the gravel from where we didn’t want it and spread it where we do. This trail will link the parking area with the new meadow, but is designed for foot traffic, not cars.

Photo: Daniel Barringer

We’re grateful that the OJR JROTC is willing to help us with these projects, and that they work so hard and with so much spirit. Thank you!