A sign that will describe the native plantings and environmental benefits of waterside buffers along the Walnutport Canal could be placed at the boat launch on a portion of the D & L Trail.

Rebecca Hayden, president of the Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley told Walnutport Borough Council on Thursday that the group has been working on an important environmental restoration project.

Hayden spoke about the planting and the project to date; to see if council was happy with the project and if it had any unresolved questions or concerns, and then pitched the question about a one-sign versus four-sign approach.

In June 2023, Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape presented a $5,000 check to the Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley and project lead Bertsch, Hokendauqua and Catasauqua Watershed Association for the Walnutport Buffer Walking Tour Installation.

Hayden said the grant was to carry out knotweed removal and Pennsylvania native planting at four locations along the Canal, one of which is at the boat launch.

She said that as part of that grant proposal, they planned on putting an educational sign describing the project at each of the four sites — the walking tour referred to in the grant title.

But, as they did the planting in May and early June, they realized that three of the sites are directly across from residents, who may not wish to have people stopping to read a sign in front of their homes.

As a result, Hayden proposed to council to consolidate the information the group intended to put across four signs onto one larger one.

Councilwoman Jen Wentz said that council would probably need to consider the location.

Public Works director Mike Wentz agreed one larger sign should go at the boat launch site.

“I think you’re better off doing one sign and staying away from the rest,” Mike Wentz said. “Either side of the boat ramps.”

Hayden noted that the grant period was from last spring through Nov. 30 of this year. At that point, she said they have to have all expenditures complete and a final project report completed, so she has until the late summer/early fall to get the sign designed, fabricated, and installed.

Afterward, Hayden then presented council with a story map that depicts the Bertsch, Hokendauqua and Catasauqua Watersheds as a gift from the Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley to the borough. The artwork on the map was done by was designed and illustrated by Keri and Tom Maxfield of Maxfield Design.