The committee is need of supplies and volunteers for their Nov. 4 work day at Strawbridge Lake.
Moorestown resident Emily Magana said she has unofficially become the “lake lady.” As the founding member of the Strawbridge Lake Beautification Committee, Magana has been a driving force in organizing work days to clear the overgrown brush and invasive species around Strawbridge Lake. On Saturday, Nov. 4, the Strawbridge Lake Beautification Committee will hold its largest work day to date, covering double the amount of shoreline it has previously.
Usually, a work day has volunteers clearing around 1,000 feet of debris, but this go-around, the group is taking on approximately 2,000 feet worth of overgrown vegetation. For that reason, the committee is seeking donations of work gloves, gardening tools, tarps, wheelbarrows, food and water for volunteers in preparation for its efforts.
Magana’s work to restore the lake began with her committee’s first work day last November. Raised in Moorestown, Magana was shocked by the lake’s condition when she returned home after five years in Texas. Having moved into a lakeside home on Haines Drive, she was saddened to find that it was it almost impossible to see the lake, and invasive species had choked out many of the healthy native plants.
Wondering what could be done, Magana got in touch with the township who steered her toward the Moorestown Environmental Advisory Committee. Last November, MEAC created the “Adopt-a-Lake” initiative where neighborhood groups or businesses can adopt a portion of Strawbridge Lake along Haines Drive for maintenance. Only organized groups that have been approved and trained by MEAC are allowed to clear the area.
Brian Thomas, a member of MEAC, said the goal is to remove invasive plant species that have overtaken the edge of the lake while simultaneously maintaining barriers to prevent soil erosion. He said the impetus for the “Adopt-a-lake” initiative was giving the community an active role in the lake’s restoration.
“At the end of the day, this is a public space that’s used by the community and the people,” Thomas said. “They should have the participation and that say.”
Magana organized the Strawbridge Lake Beautification Committee to clear 1,000 feet worth of shoreline last November. The group organized its second work day in December and held a third in April.
Magana’s neighbor, George Gravenstine, also adopted 1,000 feet of shoreline. He said he solicited neighbors and volunteers to help him with his first work day in the spring, even offering community service hours to local students and community groups.
“We get an amazing amount of work done,” Gravenstine said of his group’s efforts.
However, both Gravenstine’s and Magana’s groups have been at a standstill ever since the spring waiting on township approval to organize their next workday.
Township manager Thomas Merchel said the township decided to have its tree and park supervisor on site for the next work day to oversee the effort and offer advice when needed. He said a work day in the spring saw volunteers get overzealous in their clearing efforts, and ultimately some of the volunteers ended up clearing plants that were necessary to protect the banks from erosion.
“Volunteers are great, and they do great work for the township,” Merchel said. “But they sometimes can be a little over aggressive and may not have knowledge or expertise.”
He said the township still welcomes volunteers but wants to ensure people who may not be fully educated on tree maintenance have someone to turn to with any questions about what should and shouldn’t be trimmed or removed.
Magana said the halt on their work has been to the lake’s detriment.
“Unfortunately, because of the delays with the powers that be, we are pretty much back to this condition give or take a few feet in a few areas,” Magana said.
Due to the new requirement that a public works person be present, Magana and Gravenstine decided to combine forces this time and coordinate a day to have both groups out in full force. Magana has been promoting and organizing the work day under the Strawbridge Lake Beautification Committee’s Facebook page.
Anyone is welcome to join in, but volunteers must sign in and read over a copy of the guidelines the township has set, Magana said. Volunteers must also be properly dressed in long pants and closed toe shoes.
With both groups combined, Magana said the concern is there may be insufficient supplies for all the volunteers, which is why she has taken to Facebook to solicit donations. She said two groups means they need double of everything — gloves for working with vines, tarps to drag clippings to the curb and food and water to ward off fatigue.
“It’s hard work and it’s exhausting,” Magana said.
For Magana, the hard work is worth it. She said she remembers a time when people wanted to come to the lake to create memories and she wants to see that happen once again.
“Our hope going forward that is with the township’s approval, we can have regularly scheduled work days to help maintain the work being done, so that it doesn’t end up getting back to the overgrown jungle,” Magana said.
To donate supplies for the work day, email the Strawbridge Lake Beautification Committee at [email protected]. To get updates on the Nov. 4 work day, visit or get updates on the work day, visit Strawbridge Lake Beautification Committee’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SLBC08057.
