ClearWater partnered with landowners Jeff and Cindy Harding, the Centre County Conservation District, PA Department of Environmental Protection, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and State College Borough Water Authority to revitalize the existing riparian area around a stretch of Roaring Run, a major tributary of Slab Cabin Run that crosses the Hess Farm near Shingletown.

The Hardings, who are seventh generation descendants of the Hess family, are currently living on the farm and are raising a cow-calf Angus herd. Conserving Roaring Run, a tributary of Slab Cabin Run that flows through their property, is important to the Hardings. "We feel that we have an obligation to conserve the resources of the farm for the next generation," said Cindy Harding. "We don’t feel like we own the farm, but rather we are taking care of it for our children."

Work on this picture-perfect working farm from circa 1837 involved installing stream bank fencing to exclude livestock from the stream, placing stabilized access points along the stream and watering troughs in the pasture, installing a stoned cattle feeding area, removing invasive species, and planting a 35-foot wide stream buffer on both sides of approximately 1,500 feet of Roaring Run.

Through this conservation partnership, the Centre County Conservation District installed multiple stream crossings, PADEP installed stream bank fencing, and the State College Borough Water Authority and ClearWater planted native trees and shrubs within the newly protected riparian area.

ClearWater organized the invasive species removal and stream buffer enhancement portions of this project, which now has two of the three planting phases complete with the help of many volunteers. We planted approximately 375 native shrubs and early successional trees in spring 2006 with the help of a very hard-working volunteer, Joe Childers.

ClearWater added an additional 45 large shade trees in September 2006 with ClearWater volunteers Jim and Jess Savage, Kait Williams, and Elliot Slack, and 27 PSU students from Penn State’s Fresh Start Volunteer Program. Three employees of the State College Borough Water Authority and the property owner volunteered to place the trees before planting.

A second invasive species removal was conducted with the help of Dr. Larry Kuhns of the PSU Horticulture Department to further aid plant establishment. An extensive third phase of planting will occur in spring 2007 to complete the buffer and create a vegetated wildlife area around the nearby farm pond.