Our team In-Vests in the week

Progress Report for 03-21-11 to 03-25-11

Greetings Planeteers,

We had a jam packed week full of work that ranged from our normal invasive plant control to not so normal tree pruning day.

The COWP Native Plant Team started off the week with a fun filled warm up of tag (see photos). After running around for 10 minutes the team decided it was ready to get to work and remove some autumn olive and privet. The energy was great and one member even decided to use a rather interesting tool to remove the privet (see photo).

During the middle of the week the team got to scout some sites that had been part of the recent prescribed burn. Backpack sprayers were brought in on a site with vinca covering the forest floor and choking out native saplings. A new plant that had not been dealt with was English Ivy, growing up trees and engulfing them. The team cut and treated the vines and had a lot of fun trying to find them on trees since they camouflage quite well.

A site visit with our Agency Partner and the acting Superindendent was a nice break in the middle of the week. The team got to see new parts of the Park that needed to be worked on and received a whole new list of tasks to keep them busy until the end of the project.

A large patch of privet, with some over 10 feet high was cut down and treated. The result was very noticeable and the Agency Partner and NPS Staff were glad to see the privet gone. If you are keeping score the SCA team is way ahead on the privet now, possibly 3-0.

The last day of the work week consisted of removing scotch broom from a burn area and also pruning/trimming tree limbs. Team members used pruning saws while the project leader used a pole saw to remove low hanging branches from an area near the visitor center. The area will be replanted with native plants to cover the understory in the future.

Team members also researched new recipes to try and to submit into the Unofficial SCA Corps Food Blog Competition (see previous post). We hope everyone is gearing up their best recipes for it!

Did we mention that stretching and group photos go hand in hand?

We look forward to getting more updates soon and to have more recipes and food photos up for the Food Blog Competition.

Thank you all!