Starting today, airplanes will apply native seeds and soil amendments on portions of Blue Mountain as part of the remediation effort for the Palmerton Zinc Pile Superfund Site.

Twelve species of native grasses, 25 species of native wildflowers, pine and sumac seed as well as limestone and fertilizer will be applied as part of a process that will run through April 7.

The seeding is expected to take place each of those days “dependent on the wind and weather,” according to Riley Davenport, education coordinator for the Lehigh Gap Nature Center.

“If they are having really strong winds, they’ll keep the seedings to more flat areas,” Davenport said. “The area seeding is part of the Palmerton Zinc Pile Superfund restoration.”

The airplanes will be dropping down different seeds; 12 species of native grasses, 25 species of native wildflowers, pine seeds, sumac seed, mixed with limestone and fertilizer, Davenport said.

Davenport added that the aerial seeding will cover a total of about 365 acres, located west of Lehigh Gap on the Lehigh Gap Nature Center property, and east of Lehigh Gap on lands managed by the National Park Service and Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Notifications will be posted along the trails during the application.

Davenport said they posted a map on their Facebook page that shows the areas highlighted in green that are going to be seeded.

“Being a Superfund site, there’s been work put forward to kind of restore the soil and bring plants back to this side of the mountain,” she said. “And it helps plants to grow and adjust the PH of the soil, and to increase the overall plant diversity.”

Davenport noted that since they’re a nonprofit; the aerial seeding is paid for by settling descendants as part of EPA approved remedial action.

She said those who plan to hike on the trails while the work is underway will be safe to do so.

“I think we were told if there’s an area where they are actively seeding, there will be people out to make people aware of the seeding,” Davenport said. “So, no need to reschedule hikes, plans, anything.”

The Palmerton Zinc Pile Site is the area of a former zinc smelting operation. The site encompasses Palmerton and surrounding areas, Blue Mountain and a large smelting residue pile called the Cinder Bank. The smelting operations at the site emitted huge quantities of heavy metals and was formally added to the list in September 1983.

To learn more, visit the EPA’s Palmerton Zinc Pile Site.