Good news for trail enthusiasts in the Endless Mountains: a $1 million grant will allow the Rail-Trail Council (RTC) of Northeastern Pennsylvania to construct seven miles of new trail in Herrick and Ararat townships.

Herrick Township has been awarded $1 million in federal funds as part of PennDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). Fifty-six grant recipients have been awarded $33 million in funds to improve transportation alternatives, and the Herrick Township grant is among them. The township is sponsoring the rail-trail project, most of which is in Herrick Township.

This project will allow the RTC to build upon the momentum the organization has gained in trail development. The RTC has already improved 10 miles of the 38-mile D&H Rail-Trail, which runs from Simpson to the New York state border. (This 10-mile stretch is from Vandling and Forest City to Herrick at the SR 374 crossing). The newly-funded project in Herrick and Ararat townships will expand improved trail from 10 miles to 17 miles. The improvements planned include extensive drainage work, grading, trail surfacing with trail mix aggregate, access control gates and regulatory signage.

In addition, RTC continues to work in partnership with Lackawanna Heritage Valley (LHV) to create a highly- developed trail system. LHV has made the connection from the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail (LRHT) to the D&H Trail in Simpson and on to Carbondale, and LHV and the Rail-Trail Council are working together to improve a 70-mile trail extending from the New York state border to Pittston.

Trails are open to the public from dawn until dusk, and there is no charge to access them. For more information on trail locations and activities, visit www.nepa-rail-trails.org.

Penn State Master Gardeners in Susquehanna County are in the process of hosting the Master Gardener training for 11 new students. The training began the first week in October and will end the first week in March. The training is held via Adobe Connect with different educators presenting throughout the state. Students meet each Thursday to learn about gardening topics such as: Botany, Plant Diseases, Soils, Entomology, Vegetables, Tree & Small Fruits, Pruning and more. Students also have hands on learning sessions at the majority of the trainings. Those taking part in the training are: Amy Boot, Lauretta Clowes, Cynthia Daly, Nancy Dooling, Kim Evans, Francine Griffith, Jean Hollister, Ginny Lewis, Stephanie Lindquist, Louis Posly and Marcia Snyder.

Master Gardener trainees identify insect specimens and insect damage at a recent Entomology training

Upon completion of the training, students will take a test on the subject matter and score at least 80%. They will then volunteer 50 hours of service in their first year to the Penn State Master Gardener program in Susquehanna County by helping deliver education programs to the community. They will then become a certified Master Gardener.

This year we incorporated the help of last year’s trainees to help facilitate this year’s Master Gardener training. Those volunteering in addition to co-coordinators Dorrie Mininger and Kimberly Grace are: George Schreck, Sheryl Brownlow, Louise Guszick, Sharon Milewski (who also serves as a co-coordinator). Special thanks to these Master Gardeners for their assistance with the training.