Project Leader: Stephanie Orlando Project Dates: February 7th - August 5th Email Address: sorlando@thesca.org [1] Telephone Number: 208-914-0388 Address: 100 National Park Rd. Hopkins, SC 29061
Hitch 11 [2]
Chapter 11: Congaree
Sweet Surrender
This week the crew finished up their long season with a home stretch at Congaree National Park. They had their last licks at one of their most challenging invasive plant species, Chinese Wisteria, as well as at an old friend, the native yet aggressive Sweet Gum. Unfortunately, due to unidentified allergen difficulties, crew guru Megan Tacey was unable to join us in the field, however, she lived vicariously through our efforts.
The crew spent two days working at a new site that was once a homestead. This site had been treated in years previous, and the damage inflicted on the area was apparent by the massive scars marring the loblolly pine trees. Fortunately, it looked as if prior treatment was effective, as the Chinese Wisteria was only seen in ground cover and very small vines. The crew was lucky enough to be joined by two other SCA interns, a photographer by the name of Ted and an environmental educator by the name of Rachel. They very kindly helped cart our gear to the field and documented our efforts photographically.
The crew spent their final day of fieldwork battling sweet gum in order to make room for long leaf pine saplings. Once again two SCA interns from Congaree joined the crew, the returning champion Ted, and a challenging environmental education intern named Mike. The two duked it out rather impressively given the heat index was well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and with their help the crew made plenty of room for the long leaf pine babies.
The crew was also able to spend a few hours working with park interns on soil sample analysis. Mike and Peter, a Clemson geology student, showed us how to examine soil samples to find organic matter such as sticks, seeds, or charcoal that could be sent in for carbon dating and determine the age of different parts of the Congaree River.
It was a satisfying ending to an amazing six months of travel and fieldwork. It has been a life changing experience and we loved sharing our trials and tribulations with you! We hope you enjoyed our stories, and don’t despair, there are more to come from the upcoming Southeast Coast Exotic Plant Management Team, pending financial stability and the survival of fiscal rationality in this Great Nation we call home.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
The Southeast Coast Exotic Management Team of Spring 2011
Tori, Rob, Megan, and Stephanie
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Hitch 10 [7]
Chapter 10: Chattahoochee
Down by the Chattahoochee…
This week the crew was down by the Chattahoochee River in Georgia, not too far from Atlanta. They were engaged in a battle against the South’s most feared invasive, KUDZU. When we arrived to the site, the crew could decipher where the Fall EPMT had previously treated by the presence of a carpet of dead kudzu vines that blanketed the forest floor. There were survivors among the fallen and they proved a potent force after all, as the crew worked hard for five days cut-stumping and foliar spraying their Asian adversary. Other pests abounded as well, poison ivy was everywhere, privet ranged from adolescent to adult form, and the kudzu was swarmed by an interesting insect that looked like a fuzzy brown lady bug but packed a mean bite when they caught you on the neck. We discovered when we arrived back in Congaree that they are known as kudzu bugs, and have become a pest in Georgia.
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Hitch 9 [15]
Chapter 9: Congaree
And the Home of the Wisteria
The crew returned to Congaree National Park once again to revisit an old friend, and by friend I mean nemesis. The crew returned to one of the Chinese Wisteria sites they had treated the last time they worked in Congaree. To their surprise and astonishment the prior treatment had been a success!! All that remained of the plants that they had foliar sprayed were skeletons of once prosperous plants and an occasional mutated leaflet. This made it much easier to access Chinese Wisteria that had been interior to the previously treated plants and thus unable to reach. It was a grand success and this was a wonderful Independence Day gift to the crew. If only the founding fathers knew how hard we were working to rid their land of foreign plants that they cultivated (not in this case but bamboo), they would be so proud. Happy Fourth of July to all and happy invasive plant removal!! We were also able to take a boat ride down the Congaree River to get to a bamboo re-treatment site that Park staff had been controlling for several years. And for half a day we helped with a bird banding event that happens multiple times throughout the summer. We checked nets for birds, collected data, and learned about the bird species of Congaree.
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Hitch 8 [18]
Chapter 8: Fort Raleigh
Who you gonna call?
This week the crew ventured to Fort Raleigh, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, to tackle two noteworthy nemeses; English ivy and Chinese wisteria. Unfortunately, we had lost one of our members, the mighty Joe Neumann. His deeds of service and feats of superhuman strength will not be easily forgotten. This one’s for you my friend, this one’s for you. With the help of park biotechnical expert Sara Strickland, the crew concentrated on two major sites, one located next to an Elizabethan garden and one located besides an outdoor theatre. Both of these institutions serve to commemorate Fort Raleigh, the site of the first English colony in the new world. Unfortunately, these two institutions harbor alien plant species that have escaped their boundaries and invaded the natural forest which surrounds them. However, these institutions were kind enough to offer us lunch and give us vouchers for the play, “The Lost Colony”, the longest running outdoor drama in America, which chronicles the mysterious disappearance of the Fort Raleigh settlement. We were also able to tour the Outer Banks and see two of the lighthouses in the region, the Bodie Island lighthouse and the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, which we were able to climb. At the end of the week our valiant efforts were obvious and we were able to cover more ground by foliar spraying and cut-stumping than we had previously expected.
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Hitch 7 [22]
Chapter 7: Fort Frenderica and Cumberland Island
Ticked Off
Fort Frederica was settled by a mismatched group of wanderers who were far from where they came, looking for a new home. We also went far from home to explore the Southeastern Georgia settlement, but only stayed a couple days. We surveyed the dense forests of the National Monument and found unwelcomed settlers, such as Japanese Privet, Japanese Wisteria, Japanese Honeysuckle and Salt Cedar. While carefully charting the location of these invaders, certain locals were keeping tabs on us. The canopy rained ticks upon us, saturating our clothes with the bloodthirsty villains. Some of us plucked upwards of 115 little monsters off of our persons. As the ticks executed their siege from all angles, we were struck from below by stealthy chiggers, which gnawed our ankles and waistlines to splotchy, itchy messes. We fled the 18th century settlement to an island where the Carnegies once found refuge.
Amongst the wild horses and grazing deer, we brush cut, lopped, chainsawed and hand sawed invasive bamboo, we could not be dragged away. The new shoots would be foliar sprayed later. We also hunted and attacked Tungoil Tree, pulling out the small ones by the root with the help of a weed wrench. We also sliced and diced salt cedars that were infesting the coasts, using the chainsaw to reduce them to blue stumps. The island was once the vacation spot of the elite and powerful and now is stewarded by the National Park Service. Our crew helped restore the islands ecosystem closer to what it was prior to European settlement.
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Hitch 6 [25]
Chapter 6: Congaree
Mass Wisteria
This week the crew was back at Congaree, but this time they were faced by a new nemesis that goes by the name of Chinese Wisteria. Luckily, they were joined by an old friend from training who goes by the name of Brian Doughty. Their efforts were divided between two sites that were once residential properties, and all that remained were old wells and scattered bricks, as well as a cacophony of invasive plant growth. The first site was located next to a railroad track and time was spent retreating what had previously been cut stumped and foliar sprayed in the past. The residents had allegedly planted Chinese privet, multiflora roses, and last but not least, Chinese wisteria. Time was spent on all of these plants but the biggest foe was Chinese wisteria. The next site had Chinese privet and chinaberry, but once again, most efforts were concentrated on Chinese wisteria. This site was much more over-run by the Chinese wisteria than the first, and the vines grew thick and high into the canopy. Despite the daunting task they were initially faced with, they were able to greatly reduce the number of large vines by using the cut stump method as well as foliar spraying saplings that were surrounding the infestation. The crew also successfully completed their midseason project, which was a volunteer day at Congaree spent pulling Japanese stilt grass and beefsteak. Over twenty people showed up to help out, including an enthusiastic boy scout troop, and a great time was had by all.
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Hitch 5 [27]
Chapter 5: Ocmulgee
The Adventures of Iron Irv Brock and Guy LaChine
The afternoon sun burned down overhead as we entered Ocmulgee. We were greeted by a colorful cast of characters, including none other than our gracious, endearing host, Guy LaChine. Oh, what a mission he had for us! Tackle not only Chinese Tallow, but a multitude of invasive pests, including the ever stinky Tree of Heaven, which smells like a small hair wad from the drain smashed together with peanut butter and ignited, Chinaberry, rank Privets, and Mimosas. Our tasks included clearing Chinese Tallow from the swampland next to the Greater Temple Mound, which was over eight stories high and as wide as a football field at the top and created by the bare hands of the peoples of the Mississippian Culture around 1000 years ago. We also helped in the ongoing preservation of an unexcavated mound of the Lamar Culture, which followed that of the Mississippian Culture in the Southeast, by removing privets from the mound, which was over three stories high. The spirits of the natives guided our righteous pruners as they abolished all invasives in our path. Lastly, we off-roaded our UTVs to a river trail under the interstate where we annihilated a smorgasbord of invasive monsters, most notably Tree of Heaven.
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Hitch 4 [29]
Chapter 4: Congaree
When Two Become One
This week was unlike any that has come before in all of the triumphs of man and tales of time. The crew was back at home base working alongside the mighty banks of the River Congaree. We forged onward by the waterside devouring every stalk, tree, and clump of privet that met the gaze of our binocular vision quest for invasive alien flora. Four days passed, and with each waking hour our hunger and thirst for reclamation and restoration of native botanicals was not satiated, rather, grew exponentially, and on our final day of labor, the Congaree Native Plant Corps Traveling Team was graced by the presence of the mighty and respectful Cowpens Native Plant Corps Team, and two became one in a triumphant and majestic onslaught of every Ligustrum sinense in our jurisdiction of the River Congaree. This was an awe inspiring spectacle as both teams had long been honing their powers independently in their respective territories for the past several months. With blades brandished and herbicide entering the vascular tissues of our plant enemies, a tremendous effort, energy and productivity were put into removing invasive plants. The only objects more prestigious than our valiant work efforts were the gifts that Cowpens presented use, including Mammaw’s soup, Laura’s Mom’s lasagna, a bouquet of roses, and an oversized bag of popcorn.
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Congaree Nature Fest 2011 [31]
Between hitches we are able to participate in events at Congaree like this one.
April 16th, 2011, a great day for the earth, historians would call it a turning point, the day when climate change lost, a day when invasive species were brought under control, and a day when all garbage was disposed of properly. Some would call this a miracle, we, however, call it Nature Fest. As stewards of the earth our tri-fold poster was a beacon of hope which served to correct the errors of our neighbors’ landscaping ways and educate the general public. We also were invited to partake in a variety of other activities including gathering macro-invertebrates from Congaree’s Weston Lake, observing how water travels through different sediment types, learning how to control forest fires, making bracelets depicting the function of the water cycle, and observing solar flares through a telescope. Unfortunately, there was a tremendous thunderstorm that forced us into the Visitor Center, however, this allowed us to attended an interesting astronomy presentation by a local club. When the weather cleared up, we took a guided tour of the upper boardwalk trail entitled “Gaps and Saps” which dealt with succession in bottomland, old growth, hardwood forests of South Carolina. Our final activity of the day was a presentation on birds of prey, particularly raptors, and several rescued birds were brought out for the show including a red tailed hawk, a barn owl, and a screech owl. What a magnificent day for enlightening the public and in turn, learning a little bit ourselves.
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Hitch 3 [35]
Chapter 3: Fort Pulaski
A Tallow in the Wind
It was like Gone With the Wind for us as we made our way to our next destination, the tropical island of Tybee. As we got to the fort, we soon realized we had a big conundrum to decipher, we couldn’t find any species that seemed to be taking over. With so much Privet on our minds, we wanted to attack the native holly. But upon further inspection, we were wooed by Carlos Lantana and his black magic flowers, which we soon dispatched of. We also successfully identified and pulverized dozens of Chinese tallow trees and chinaberry trees under the watchful eyes of alligators, gnats, red-striped hornets, and a sweet little old man who loved his Lantana. The heat was strong and had a sweaty grip on us, but we were able to take a quick break and enjoy a guided tour of Fort Pulaski and blow our eardrums out at a cannon re-enactment. Cockspur Island was enchanting as we watched the cargo ships sail by…
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Hitch 2 [38]
Chapter 2: Horseshoe Bend
Sweet Gum Home Alabama
We packed up the truck and trailer, and it was down south for us. We were ramblin’ on down to sweet Alabama except this time there was no banjo on our knee, just a pair of loppers, a Zubat, pruners, a chainsaw, and some Garlon 3A. We were a force to be reckoned with after our recent experience with bamboo and we were ready to tackle anything that Horseshoe Bend should happen to throw our way. We began by treating native sweet gum because it threatened the viability of the longleaf pine, the honorary state tree of Alabama. Next we encountered more privet in the crosshairs, treating them with backpack sprayers and the like down by the Tallapoosa River, where Andrew Jackson led his men against the Red Stick Creek Indians and won a decisive victory for America leading to the acquisition of much land within the confines of Georgia and Alabama. As luck may have it, Horseshoe Bend was celebrating the 197th anniversary of this very battle during our stay, so we participated in a variety of cultural festivities including a traditional Creek Indian social dance. Great times were had by all!
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Hitch 1 [41]
Chapter 1: Kennesaw Mountain Bamboozled
We started this week with a road trip to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, a pivotal battle site during the civil war, located outside of Marietta, Georgia near Atlanta. The next day we were unable to do any field work due to the rain so we took the opportunity to learn more about the park and get some administrative tasks done. We were educated on the historic and cultural importance of the park during the civil war through the park film and a guided museum tour from park staff. The tour was thorough and engaging, acquainting us with the likes of Generals Sherman, Johnston, and Hood, and informing us that the historic Kolb Farm house we would be staying at for the week was the site of tremendous battle and bloodshed. The next day was dry enough to get into the field and remove some kudzu and get started on a large bamboo infestation. The rest of our time at Kennesaw would be spent doing cut stump treatment on bamboo at a site right across from our historic lodgings. Experiencing Kennesaw Mountain was like stepping into the past, deep in the midst of Civil War turmoil, yet as we faced present day issues in our work, we kept in mind the importance of preserving this park’s significant cultural heritage for the future.
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Hitch 9 [45]
Chapter 9: Congaree
And the Home of the Wisteria
The crew returned to Congaree National Park once again to revisit an old friend, and by friend I mean nemesis. The crew returned to one of the Chinese Wisteria sites they had treated the last time they worked in Congaree. To their surprise and astonishment the prior treatment had been a success!! All that remained of the plants that they had foliar sprayed were skeletons of once prosperous plants and an occasional mutated leaflet. This made it much easier to access Chinese Wisteria that had been interior to the previously treated plants and thus unable to reach. It was a grand success and this was a wonderful Independence Day gift to the crew. If only the founding fathers knew how hard we were working to rid their land of foreign plants that they cultivated (not in this case but bamboo), they would be so proud. Happy Fourth of July to all and happy invasive plant removal!! We were also able to take a boat ride down the Congaree River to get to a bamboo re-treatment site that Park staff had been controlling for several years. And for half a day we helped with a bird banding event that happens multiple times throughout the summer. We checked nets for birds, collected data, and learned about the bird species of Congaree.
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Week 2 [52]
Introduction: Privet in the Crosshairs
We identified our invasive enemies, we learned how to properly combat them, and began our war against Chinese privet and Japanese honeysuckle. We learned how to mix herbicides and use brush cutters and tackled our first site with the fury of one thousand native plants. We worked in a few sites, most notably an old shooting range overrun with Chinese privet and Japanese honeysuckle. We put our herbicide and chainsaws to the test as we took down the overwhelming tract of invasive plants with great success.
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Week 1 [56]
Forward: The Group Thins But The Plot Thickens
Upon returning from the Triangle Y-Camp in Oracle,AZ we began training in Congaree National Park, the largest remaining contiguous tract of bottomland hardwood floodplain forest in the US. We became acquainted with the arsenal we would be brandishing for the rest of the season including herbicides, brush cutters, and chainsaws. We became masters of backing up our pickup truck and trailer as well. We were introduced to the wonders of the park such as centuries old bald cypresses, long leaf pines, pileated woodpeckers, feral hogs, snakes, and even a National Champion loblolly pine tree. Most importantly we learned how to identify and eradicate our invasive enemies, among them, privet, kudzu, wisteria, Japanese honeysuckle, and Japanese climbing fern.
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Training [59]
Preface: The League of Extraordinary Conservationists
Our journey began in Columbia, South Carolina from which we were beckoned to a gathering of like minded budding conservationists in Oracle, Arizona. While in Arizona we were introduced to SCA’s history and policies, AmeriCorps benefits, plant identification, GIS/GPS, risk management, and certified in CPR, WFA (Wilderness First Aid), The Game of Logging and S212 chainsaw trainings. Our numbers were dwindling by the end of training as some crews left to begin field work, our brains were saturated with new skills and techniques, and we were left with an appetite for conservation.
During chainsaw training we learned how to fell trees (on gnarly mesquites) as well as how to buck, limb, and maintain our equipment. Our own Megan Tacey tied for first place in the great chainsaw competition as well. Thanks to WFA, and our trainers from Aerie, we are now able to perform first aid including the daunting sucking chest wound, as well as care for each other in the field.
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Stephanie Orlando [62]
Hello everyone. My name is Stephanie Orlando and I am the Project Leader at Congaree this spring. I grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but have spent the last six years traveling and working around the country. I studied Biology at The University of Tampa and began working as an SCA Corps Member after graduation. In fall 2008 I was a Crew Member for the Native Plant Corps in Yuma, AZ at Imperial NWR and then joined the New Hampshire Conservation Corps in 2009. I was a Project Leader for the SCA Native Plant Corps in fall 2010 at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and am excited to be returning to SCA for another season.
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Tori Bohlen [66]
Hi, my name is Tori Bohlen and I’m psyched about plants! I’m from Cleveland, Ohio and a recent grad of The Ohio State University where I studied Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Administration. I’m excited to be working and traveling with the SCA for the first time. In the future, I’d like to find myself living/working/learning on an organic farm somewhere in the rolling hills/picturesque landscape of Washington/Vermont/France/New Zealand/Iceland…
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