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Who We Are
For years, the area around the Kernsville Dam has been enjoyed by the residents of Berks and Schuylkill counties. The combination of mountain and river produced an area unique in its diversity of both wildlife and outdoor recreational potential. In 2001, this diversity was threatened by development. That threat helped bring together a group of concerned citizens to form Blue Mountain Wildlife Incorporated.
Blue Mountain Wildlife seeks to encourage those who have discovered the treasures of this area to join with us in an effort to maintain and improve it. We also seek to introduce the area to those who might enjoy its splendors. Blue Mountain Wildlife is cultivating strong relationships with other organizations, both public and private, to help us in our goal of preserving this area for ourselves and for future generations.
Blue Mountain Wildlife is not just about the preservation of one area. We have partnered with the Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area to help maintain the Hamburg-to-Port Clinton portion of the Bartram Trial, a walking and bicycle trail that will connect Philadelphia to the Coal Region. We sponsor educational programs to enlighten both young and old as to the wild treasures of the region. And we aid other like-minded individuals and groups in the region to preserve, protect and maintain our diminishing wild areas.
We invite you to join with us.
The Kernsville Dam Recreation Area
The Kernsville Dam area encompasses approximately 252 acres and approximately 2 miles of the Schuylkill River, which has been designated as a “Scenic River” by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The Kernsville Dam Recreation Area includes:
183 acres in Tilden Township (72.6% of the Kernsville Dam area)
44 acres in the Borough of Hamburg (17.5% of the Kernsville Dam area)
18 acres in Windsor Township (7.1% of the Kernsville Dam area)
7 acres in West Brunswick Township (2.8% of the Kernsville Dam area)
Blue Mountain Wildlife’s History
The roots of Blue Mountain Wildlife Incorporated, go back to the early 1980’s. Mr. Ron Cassler founded Hamburg Ecology Life Patrol (H.E.L.P.), which cleaned up the Kernsville Dam area, rebuilt the restrooms, and maintained trash removal and grass mowing on a weekly basis. H.E.L.P. relied upon limited funding and volunteer labor provided by its members. H.E.L.P. was active throughout the 1980’s and early 1990’s, and several members are active participants in Blue Mountain Wildlife today.
In November, 2000, the first series of public meetings presenting plans for intensive development of recreational facilities in the Kernsville Dam area brought together a group of concerned citizens to form the “Friends of the Kernsville Dam”. Throughout the series of public meetings the “Friends of the Kernsville Dam” offered several pre-existing alternative sites for recreational facilities as possible ecological solutions. None of these were incorporated into the proposed plans. The “Friends of the Kernsville Dam” circulated a petition in opposition to the proposed plans. Approximately 1,300 signatures were collected. The “Friends of the Kernsville Dam” approached nearby municipalities with the petition to solicit support in opposition of the proposed plan.
On June 29, 2001, the “Friends of the Kernsville Dam” officially incorporated as “Blue Mountain Wildlife, Incorporated” to help solidify existing support to preserve the wild area around the Kernsville Dam and develop alternative locations for recreational facilities throughout northern Berks County. Blue Mountain Wildlife consulted with and received support from nearby property owners and businesses to develop an alternative plan. The Reading, Blue Mountain, and Northern Railroad Company became a corporate sponsor. On October 10, 2001, Blue Mountain Wildlife presented its plan for the preservation of the Kernsville Dam area at a press conference to various agencies and organizations. The 2001 Open Space Plan included many hiking & biking trails, nature trails, butterfly & hummingbird gardens, wheelchair accessible fishing locations & fishing pier, a boat launch, picnic areas, etc. Our plan was well received by the local municipalities and by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation, the state agency that administers the Kernsville Dam area.
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In March 2002, Blue Mountain Wildlife Incorporated applied for and was granted probationary 501(c)(3) non-profit organization status. The organization spent a great deal of the year promoting public awareness of its plans. Representatives attended the Hamburg Hunting and Fishing Expo, the Schuylkill Watershed Congress, Hamburg Sidewalk Sale and Hamburg Heritage Days. Major events included the Earth Day Clean-Up and participation in the Schuylkill Sojourn. Blue Mountain Wildlife also devoted much time and effort in negotiating with Northern Berks Recreation Council and other organizations to provide acceptable solutions to the issues of preserving the Kernsville Dam area while providing additional active recreation facilities in Northern Berks County.
Two Thousand Three saw Blue Mountain Wildlife’s first major fundraising event—the Spring Rail Ramble sponsored by the Reading, Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad on May 31st. Blue Mountain Wildlife representatives attended the Hamburg Hunting and Fishing Expo on February 21-23, the Bear Creek Festival on May 18, the Northkill Watershed Meeting on July 23 and Hamburg Heritage Day on September 27. Major events included the Earth Day Clean-Up on April 26 and 27, Tilden Elementary School’s Field Day activities on May 9 and participation in the Schuylkill Sojourn on June 1. Greg Kohl & Associates created engineered drawings of the improvements proposed by the 2001 Open Space Plan to support Blue Mountain Wildlife’s application for the lease of the Kernsville Dam area. On September 30, 2003, Blue Mountain Wildlife was granted a lease for the area from Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation. Blue Mountain Wildlife applied for and later received a $25,000 grant from the Berks County Open Space and Recreation Commission. The grant required 50% matching funds which was to be met through fund-raising, donations and in-kind services. By the end of the year, Blue Mountain Wildlife had contracted with Pet Net Designs to provide webhosting for a website (http://www.bluemountainwildlife.com/).
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Two Thousand Four saw the completion of Blue Mountain Wildlife’s biggest project to date—the construction of the one-mile Therman Madeira Switchback Trail, which will be a link for the Schuylkill River Heritage Area’s "Bartram Trail" which will eventually run from Philadelphia along the Schuylkill River to above Pottsville. The project was completed with the funding from the Berks County Open Space and Recreation Grant secured in the previous year and matching funds from donations of money, materials and time from the organization’s many supporters. The second major project of the year, the construction of the Butterfly Garden, began in the spring. This project is ongoing and improvements continue to this day. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission took up Blue Mountain Wildlife’s request to establish a “No Wake” zone on the Kernsville Dam. Blue Mountain Wildlife took the bold step of declaring the desilting basin a “Wildlife Propagation Area”, prohibiting hunting and other disruptive activities so that wildlife may flourish there and spread elsewhere along the Schuylkill. Blue Mountain Wildlife representatives attended the Hamburg Hunting and Fishing Expo. Major events included the Earth Day Clean-Up on May 1 and 2, participation in the Schuylkill Sojourn in June, the Helping Wheels Unincorporated tour of the Therman Madeira Switchback on July 11 and participation in Hamburg Heritage Day on September 25.
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Two Thousand Five saw the establishment of a number of Blue Mountain Wildlife “annual traditions”. The first was the Annual Membership Meeting and Banquet, held on January 13. The second was an expansion of the Earth Day activities beyond the Clean-Up. April 23rd and 24th’s activities also included the improvement of approximately three-quarters of a mile of trail above and approximately one-half mile of trail below the Kernsville Dam, a bird walk and a raptor presentation. The third was the first of many fund-raising races. On May 28 a 5K Fun Run/Walk was held at the Monument and on September 24 a 5K/10K Run was held in conjunction with Hamburg Heritage Day. Other major events included selling Kerny Monster Burgers in the Taste of Hamburg-er Festival and selling ice cream and hosting historical tours of the Kernsville Dam area during Hamburg Heritage Day.
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Two Thousand Six saw three major projects come to fruition. After at least three years of discussion and negotiation, the Cabela’s Wetland Mitigation project gained approval and was implemented in September. Approximately one-half acre of new wetlands and one-third mile of new trail were constructed in the desilting basin north of the Monument. On May 24, Environmental Education Day brought 120 5th graders from Hamburg Elementary School to the Kernsville Dam area for a number of outdoor educational opportunities. The Northern Berks QUAD Games were inaugurated as the organization’s primary fundraiser and brought in approximately 300 participants to the four races. Other events included the Second Annual Membership Banquet on January 12 and the Earth Day/Outdoor Appreciation Weekend on May 20 and 21. On March 22, 2006, Blue Mountain Wildlife completed its 501(c)(3) probationary period and its non-profit status was confirmed and made permanent.
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Two Thousand Seven saw the continuation of our successful projects. The Cabela’s Wetland Project continued and flourished. On May 11, Environmental Education Day again brought 120 5th graders from Hamburg Elementary School to the Kernsville Dam area for a number of outdoor educational opportunities. The Northern Berks QUAD Games experienced its second year as the organization’s primary fundraiser and brought in approximately 300 participants to the four races. BMW also set about updating its 2001 Open Space Plan and made presentations at the four surrounding municipalities inviting them to participate. Other events included the Third Annual Membership Banquet on January 11, the Kutztown Earth Day Celebration on April 19, the Earth Day Clean-Up on April 21, the Bear Creek Festival on May 18 and the Pulpit Rock Beach Clean-Up on November 8. Scout projects included the KDRA sign by Austin Hartman and the Kernsville Monument beautification by Junior Girl Scout Troop 114.
Two Thousand Eight saw another set of projects begin. BMW secured two grants to top the Wetlands Trail and parts of the Therman Madeira Switchback, as well as to construct a footbridge at the Industrial Drive pump station. Work on the Cabela’s Wetlands continued. Construction was begun on an information kiosk at the Monument parking lot. An updated draft Open Space Plan was created and comments from all stakeholders solicited and collected. The BMW website was updated by KDS FX Design and BMW took over the domain name and the upkeep of the website. In its third year, the Northern Berks QUAD Games brought two races back to the KDRA and brought in approximately 280 participants to the four races. Other events included the Fourth Annual Membership Banquet on April 25, the Earth Day Clean-Up on April 26, the Bear Creek Festival on May 18 and Environmental Education Day on May 30.
Two Thousand Nine saw the completion of the previous year’s projects. The parking lot improvements included the completion of the informational kiosk and the installation of trash barrels. Additional sections of the Therman Madeira Switchback were topped, and the Donald Waldron Footbridge was completed and a dedication ceremony held on October 24th. Eagle Scout candidate Kurt Kissinger constructed an outdoor classroom at the north end of the Cabela’s Wetlands. Despite three wet races, the fourth annual Northern Berks QUAD Games brought in 236 participants while earning over $2,000. Inclement weather also caused the cancellation of the Annual Membership Banquet and forced the relocation of the expanded Environmental Education Day (now including Perry Elementary) to Tilden Elementary School on May 29. Other events included Earth Day Cleanups scheduled on each Saturday in April, the Bear Creek Festival on May 17th and Hamburg Community Days on July 3rd and 4th.
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Click here to download the latest Kernsville Dam Recreation Area Trails Map and Brochure
