Details for Sideling Hill Creek Preserve

Sideling Hill Creek is a large preserve with multiple tracts along the creek and miles of boundary lines.  We are hoping to recruit a dedicated team of volunteers who can coordinate and work together on posting our boundaries.  The boundaries at the preserve are often through rugged and steep terrain at Sideling Hill.  The boundary lines vary in elevation from 450 to 1000 feet above sea level.  We are looking for volunteers who enjoy hiking in the backcountry with map and compass to join the SHC boundary dream team! 

Boundary work is easiest anytime the leaves are off the trees and the views will be spectacular at this time of year!  But, this preserve is hunted by local hunters during legal deer season and turkey season (spring and fall--see DNR website for each year's schedule).  So although autumn and winter, when the trees are bare, is the handiest time to do boundary work, most of us are more comfortable avoiding the preserve during deer hunting season.  Poaching is not unheard of here so wear orange as a precaution during the other seasons.

Many of the lines are in good shape as of November 2006 because we our local crew has relocated and reposted them.  We hope our new volunteers can get out on the ground soon while the lines are still clear and visible and keep them in good shape in the coming years. A few sections have not recently been posted, and those are good candidates for volunteers with good map and compass skills.

We are also looking for one or two facilities monitors for the preserve's infrastructure.  The Bryant Tract has a two-mile loop trail with floating bridges across small feeders to the creek and a parking area. The Yonker Tract has a parking area and a streamside fence to prevent parking on the bank. All of these facilities are sometimes subject to vandalism, although fortunately we do not have a strong history of that at this preserve.  The facilities monitor will check on these structures, walk the trails and report on any damage while also posting trail markers.  Preferably these volunteers would have some experience with trail maintenance, and those who are willing to lead other volunteers in trail maintenenance projects would be ideal!