Improving the Stream Bank

Thanks to support from several volunteers, we have taken another step toward restoring a stream bank at our Gray Conservation Area in Sudbury.

On April 16, SVT stewardship staff and volunteers planted native shrubs and wetlands seeds along the bank of a tributary to Hop Brook, where foot traffic from dogs had trampled plants and left the bank prone to erosion. The erosion caused dirt to slide into the water and disrupt the habitat for animals that live in the stream.

The plantings will help to restore the bank and prevent the dirt from sliding. 

In the fall, we fenced off the area and added signs that asked visitors to leash their dogs near the stream to keep them on the bridge and trail. The fence is still in place to protect the new plantings and give them time to establish.