The Salisbury Township Environmental Advisory Council is renewing its plea for a tougher illegal-dumping ordinance and higher penalties for dumping in the township.

The main area of concern is Walking Purchase Park, the 500-acre tract administered jointly by Salisbury Township, the City of Allentown and Lehigh County.

Kreg Ulery, STEAC chair, said he was willing to present a proposal for a more strict illegal-dumping ordinance to the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners. No timetable has been set for the presentation.

Meanwhile, prior to the July 19 meeting, Ulery pitched in, picked up a shovel and replanted a tree at the stormwater detention pond east of the municipal building. Restoration of the pond was a goal of the STEAC.

Three STEAC members were at the meeting. The meeting lacked a quorum so no action was taken.

Ulery and Salisbury Township Director of Planning and Zoning Cynthia Sopka met with Lehigh County Director of Parks Robert Stiffler and City of Allentown Director of Parks & Recreation Lindsay Taylor regarding illegal dumping at Walking Purchase Park.

Stiffler recommended the STEAC make a presentation to the City of Allentown and Lehigh County concerning illegal dumping in the park. Portions of the park, located south of the Lehigh River and north of Lehigh Mountain, are in Allentown.

“It’s a hardship for everybody,” Ulery said of the dumping in the park.

“People who could help us are not eager to until we have an ordinance in place,” Ulery said.

Joanne Ackerman, township commissioners’ representative to the STEAC said, “When you present to the [township] board, tell them what you want.

“What we’d propose to do is take an ordinance from another township,” Ulery said.

“Give some idea of how many townships have an ordinance,” Ackerman said.

“Right now, we’re depending on volunteers [for annual cleanups],” Ackerman continued. “Can you put a dollar value on that?”

“When they [township commissioners] see the presentation, they will see,” Ulery assured.

Noted Ackerman, “I sit on the board [of commissioners] and the more information I have to make a decision, the better.”

“We have a real problem that needs to be solved,” Ulery said.

“Allentown and others don’t have anything in place. We can be a pacesetter,” Ackerman.

Ulery said Robert Agonis, STEAC Task Force member, could help him make the presentation to township commissioners.

The STEAC, at its April 20 meeting, voted to send recommendations for a stricter anti-dumping ordinance to the board of commissioners.

This year’s cleanup, April 24, at Walking Purchase Park, resulted in two and one-half dumpsters being filled with trash.

The STEAC discussed recent Shade Tree Commission appeals, two of which were granted. The commission, composed of the township board of commissioners, rules on street tree replacement.

Ulery said other townships have done street tree inventories.

“Our township is so uneven and unusual,” Ulery said regarding topography.

Ackerman noted many trees in township neighborhoods are aging out. “Green Acres is hitting 50 years,” Ackerman said. Ackerman noted the expense of removing and replacing trees.

“How do you identify a shade tree?” Sopka asked.

“A street tree is between the sidewalk and the street. But in Salisbury, we have very few sidewalks,” Ulery said.

An audience member, Jan Keim, asked, “In our ordinance, do we prohibit invasive species?”

“No, but we should,” Ulery replied.

Keim cited the Norway Maple as an example of an invasive species of tree.

The STEAC also discussed the stormwater detention pond.

Ulery said a koisk at the pond would provide educational material about the pond, plants and wildlife.