The Stekoa Creek City Park & Stream Buffer Restoration Project is Underway!
The Chattooga Conservancy and the City of Clayton, Georgia, have teamed up in a ground-breaking effort to restore a short section of Stekoa Creek. This exciting new project will also result in establishing a new city park on a 2.9-acre strip of land in between State Highway 441 and Stekoa Creek, just north of downtown Clayton. The United Community Bank of Clayton generously donated the property for the park site, and the Chattooga Conservancy is developing and leading the city park project in cooperation with the City of Clayton.
This drawing depicts the landscape plan for the Stekoa Creek Park, and includes a nature trail, picnic tables, playground, benches, and a diverse collection of native plants.
Click here for a larger version (PDF)
Some may recall distant memories of swimming and catching trout in Stekoa Creek, but alas, Stekoa Creek is now renown as the primary source of sediment and fecal coliform pollution to our magnificent National Wild & Scenic Chattooga River. And, in fact, the park site is essentially a poster child for those activities that have contributed most to sedimentation in Stekoa Creek, having been abused by illegal floodplain filling, stream buffer encroachments and deforestation, as well as invaded by non-native plants such as kudzu and privet.
But now, work is underway to restore the park tract and its short, 1/4 mile section of Stekoa Creek-a daunting task! Fortunately, we have a strategy for reaching this goal: First, the area will be stabilized to stop sources of erosion and sedimentation. Then, all invasive non-native vegetation will be eradicated, and the area replanted with attractive native plants. Next, a short nature trail will be constructed. The property will also have benches and picnic tables, playground equipment, an educational kiosk, and a small parking lot. Donations of goods, services, and monetary support from the community are welcome and needed for the Stekoa Creek Park. Please contact the Chattooga Conservancy if you would like to help out.
