Johnsonburg, Pa.: The Rolfe Beagle Club, an active bird dog and sportsmen’s group in Johnsonburg, completed the fourth segment of an intensive wetland improvement plan at the club. “A beaver moved in last fall and did a lot of damage to the outlet of our water control structure, and it became necessary for us to draw down the impoundment in order to fix the outlet,” said JoAnn Schiafone, the habitat coordinator for the club.

“We know folks could not use the wetland this year for water retrieves with their dogs but by next spring, the wetland will be flooded again and available for wildlife and water retrieve training,” said Jim Pennington, Jr., President of the Rolfe Beagle Club.This last project involved repairing the outlet and reinstalling a wildlife guard, and then removing tons of brush the beaver had stored in the drained wetland. The dried brush had to be removed so when the wetland refills in the spring the dried brush will not float up and plug the outlet control structure.

The last portion of the improvements will involve installing a goose nesting platform with adjacent turtle loafing platform. The Rolfe Beagle Club anticipates completing all wetland work in the front area by spring of 2026.