ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
Amidst the hustle and bustle of an average Andrews' day, there is a quiet nook of natural beauty that rests at the heart of our base. It is here that a quarter mile trail winds through a forest of ominous Trailing Pines, Black Gums, and Dogwood trees. A rock-bed creek carves through the land, and a bridge covers the water near an embankment where gnarled Red Maple roots reach out from thick groves of fern and moss.
As time passed at this park, Mother Nature encroached on the path's travel ability as debris choked the trail. The people of Andrews in turn decided that it was time to cleanup the area and restore it's more visitor friendly state.
Members of Team Andrews banded together, in light of National Public Lands Day, to promote and enhance the natural beauty of Yuma Park through their volunteer efforts Sept. 25.
Earlier in the year, the 316th Civil Engineer Squadron applied for Legacy Funding through the Department of Defense with the hopes of receiving money to improve the park's quarter mile nature trail.
The DoD began NPLD in 1994 and says that it is, "the nation's largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands American's enjoy. The primary mission of NPLD is to enlist those who use public lands for recreation in helping to care for those places they enjoy. Participation in NPLD educates Americans about critical environmental and natural resources issues and the need for shared stewardship of these valued, irreplaceable lands."
The monies are distributed for projects to include habitat and cultural restoration of forests, mountains, prairies, plains, rivers, wetlands, and urban streams that are home to a rich diversity of animals and plants.
Andrews was allocated $1200, which was used to purchase the necessary goods from local businesses for the park. Some of the rehabilitation supplies included 400 flowering bulbs, fertilizer, trail markers and a pet waste disposal system, said Anne Kaval, 316 CES CEAO of asset management optimization and environmental planning.
"We are cleaning up Yuma Park so can make the area more environmentally friendly, and easier for people to appreciate the nature trail," said Miss Kaval.
"Workers utilized as much recycled material as possible, such as mulch from fallen trees and debris at the park and other areas around base, including recent trimmings for trees that were considered airfield obstructions," said Miss Kaval.
Volunteers removed the plant debris, ran it through the wood chipper and created mulch that was then laid along the path. Old logs were stripped of branches and placed along the edges of the trail to create a more pronounced boundary between the trees and the path. In addition, near the beginning of the trail, volunteers used several large-girthed stumps to establish a circular seating area for visitors.
Volunteers came to Yuma Park for the cleanup from a myriad of squadrons and groups for a total of 53 workers. The community service workers hailed from 113 CES (D.C. Air National Guard), 316 CES, 316 FSS, 316 LRS, 316 MSG, 316 OSS, 316 SFS, 316 WG, 79 MDOS, 79 AMDS, 79 MDSS and even members from the 579 DS and MDG, Bolling AFB, said Miss Kaval.
"It has been some time since a rehabilitation project of this scale has taken effect at Yuma Park," said Chief Master Sgt. James A. Andersen, 316th Mission Support Group superintendent and volunteer.
"The park is not finished," exclaimed Tammie Hollowood, 316th Force Support Squadron recreation director. "There are future plans to bring in benches and bird houses; the latter of which to help truly bring the nature into the park."