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Efforts of father, son help Poland park’s trees thrive
POLAND
You would be hard-pressed to find an American chestnut tree in most parts of the United States today.
A chestnut blight in the early 1900s nearly wiped out the species, killing billions of American chestnuts.
You can, however, find this species — and more than 50 others — in the Poland Township Park, thanks to the efforts of Ken and Kyle Filicky of Poland, a father-and-son duo who serve as volunteer naturalists for the park.
The Republic Services-operated Carbon Limestone Landfill started leasing 70-plus acres, now the park between Cowden, Moore and Miller Roads, to the township in 2001 for $1 annually.
In 2007, trails were added, and in 2008, the Poland Youth Soccer Association began using the fields.
Over the past several years, the Filickys have worked on a number of projects to improve the natural elements of the park.
Along with the tree species, some of the natural features that have been added, or are being added, include a tree-identification trail, nesting boxes for birds, bat stations, a certified National Monarch Butterfly Garden, a tree nursery, a fern garden and improvements to the trails in the woods.
“We’re now up to like 58 different [tree] species in the park,” Ken said. “We’ve added about 25 to 30 species.”
“They were all added on purpose — we’ve been doing that since the park opened,” said Mike Heher, chairman of the township park advisory board.
The American chestnut in the park comes from a tree nursery in Georgia and is blight-resistant.
Ken and Kyle also recently planted about 50 American elm trees after collecting seeds from Westminster College’s campus.
“Hopefully they come up, and they’re resistant,” Ken said, referring to the Dutch elm disease that could kill the trees.
They also are trying to save some of the park’s white ash trees, many of which they expect to lose to disease.
“We’re trying to save some of those seeds and plant some seedlings,” Ken said. “Hopefully we can keep a couple white ash for the park.”
Evergreens, including 200 spruces, also were added to the park’s tree stock.
All in all, Ken estimates that there are about 5,000 trees in the park, most of which are sugar maples.
The goal, he said, is to create a more diverse forest.
“That brings in other animals and birds that normally would not come into the park,” he said.
In addition to planting trees, the Filickys also are working on the tree-identification trail, which will have plaques explaining the history behind the species.
“We’re going to try to get every species with signage,” Ken said. “They all have names, and they all have a purpose.
“We’re trying to let people know how important, environmentally, the forest is.”
These additions are among others being planned for the park, including a sled-riding hill and an indoor activity center, both of which are slated to be built next year; sewer and water lines and expansion of the playground.