Project Leader: Tyler Lau Project Dates: April 13th - November 19th, 2010 Corp Member Dates - May 19th - November 19th 2010 Email Address: tlau@thesca.org [1]
Final Report...Happy Trails [2]
Greetings all,
It has been a long season and now our project here at CVNP has officially been completed for this season.
Attached below is a copy of our Final Report where you'll find all the facts about our project.
A quick review of the data:
~ Two parks worked at: Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) in Northeast Ohio and Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial (LIBO) in Southern Indiana
~511.4 acres of area was covered for invasive plant treatment between CVNP and LIBO
434.7 acres were covered at CVNP
76.7 acres were covered at LIBO
~ 17 different invasive plant species were targeted at the sites
~ Seeds of 36 native plant were collected for storage
~ hundreds of volunteers worked with at over 10 volunteer events
~ 4562.3 oz of stump herbicide mix used for cut stump treatment of larger invasive shrubs
~ 2281.15 oz of foliar herbicide mix for foliar spray (with backpack sprayers)
~ Contacts and networking between Resource Management staff at CVNP and also across the midwest.
~ **Note this is not in the report but one day spent doing Fire-Monitoring Plots with Firemon groups at Wayne National Forest in Southern Ohio.
It has been a great season and we hope that it will continue at CVNP and that future crews can help with the battle to restore the area to what it once was.
We hope you all have a great season wherever you may be,
Happy Trails,
Our official name now: The SCA IPMT (Invasive Plant Managent Team)
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Digging Up [6]
During the last week of field work our crew helped out Resource Managment Staff at CVNP with digging holes in flood plains along the Cuyahoga River.
These holes were roughly 8 feet deep and 8 feet in diameter. These were then filled with a water level loggers that will measure the water levels when the Cuyahoga River rises and floods those areas.
One final week and then the project will be finished for the season.
Be on the look out for data and results from our final report.
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A River Runs Through It [12]
As we gear up for the close of the season the team has been as busy as ever.
From visiting sites to assess our treatment of invasive species to working on finishing one last site to helping to supervise student volunteer events it has been a rather surprisingly busy october and november.
Our team was able to finish one more site before the weather turned and the frost (and snow the other day) came in and started to do its work on the foliage.
The one site we finished was the Ledges/Octagon, one of the most popular areas at the Park.
Our team used hand tools and pole saws to cut down invasive plant species and herbicide to treat the stumps. While scouting the area we came across some less common plants and also got to admire the Ledges Trails and scenery.
Some current scouting expeditions have led us to encounter some hard frosts and a good indication that earlier spraying has been effective on autumn olive plants.
In the next week and a half we'll be finishing up our season's final report, help out with deer counts, native seed collecting and setting up water level loggers near areas of flooding along the Cuyahoga River. If we don't get a chance to update you before then we hope you all have a great rest of your seasons,
Happy Trails,
Isaac, John, Trevor, Tyler
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Fire down below [26]
During the weekend of 10/23-10/25/2010, our team traveled down to Wayne National Forest to work with the SCA Fire Monitoring Team there. After a longer than expected trip due to some puzzling traffic, the team made it safely to the destination...only to find out that there was a fire in Wayne National Forest!
The SCA Firemon team was helping the Forest Service with the fire, on their off time, and had had a full day of work before we arrived. Luckily the Forest Service got the fire under control and we were able to join the team out in the field on their last field plots!
Coming from a summer of invasive plant removal, it was a great change of scenery and pace as the Firemon team was very gracious in teaching us about firemon data collection. It was a great experience learning how to measure fuels, vegetation, tree size, and of course the good ole DBH. After finishing their last full plots we all sat there to take it in before heading out for a group dinner and a night around the campfire.
We'd like to thank the Wayne National Forest SCA Firemon teams for taking the time to show us the ropes and for the great time we had visiting their work sites. It is always great to learn more about other SCA crews and cross train while getting to catch up with some old friends.
Happy Trails!
SCA Native Plants Team
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a BIG day indeed [35]
After a hiatus from a fixture in our early schedule, the team headed back to Terra Vista to tackle some invasive plant species.
Unlike past days, our focus was on removing Chinese Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima).
Some other species that were removed were autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) and bush honeysuckle (Lonciera maackii, L. morrowii, L. tatarica).
Again the priority was removing Tree of Heaven from the site.
Several large trees were felled with the working chainsaw (sadly we had to send them into the shop to be looked at again after the work day).
While scouting the site for other possible Tree of Heaven groves the team stumbled upon several interesting finds.
These included:
1)old plow, carriage, and foundations to a building
2) the largest willow we've seen in the Park (the picture does it some justice but it has to be seen with your own eyes!)
3) A very large mushroom, the largest we've seen at the Park too
Overall it was a great work day with the weather now entering the Autumn stages.
Have a great weekend everyone!
SCA Native Plant Team at CVNP
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A new team mascot...plus Japanese knotweed [41]
Update from the field:
Along with a CVNP Staff member, the SCA Native Plant Team helped spray a 5 acre site infested with Japanese knotweed.
The Japanese knotweed had been over our heads a few weeks ago but we went in with pole saws, brush cutters and a brush mower chopping them down. We waited for it to resprout before going in to treat the site.
This was the first time the team had boom sprayers (4 nozzles attached to a backpack sprayer) and from the get go you could tell how fast an area could be covered with them.
Japanese knotweed has been spreading along the Cuyahoga River edge for years now. It is helped by flooding and its ability to regenerate and resprout quickly using rhizomes.
Also due to the flooding you find a lot of garbage scattered and buried along river edge sites (some photos below). It is a very unfortunate sight to see but the goal of CVNP and our team is to clean up these areas and seed them with native plants while also picking up as much garbage as we can.
Btw we found a new team mascot :)
Until the next update,
Best wishes
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Pro-seeding with a new direction [50]
Greetings All,
The crew would like to show you some of the native seeds/nuts/fruit that have been collected all across Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Team members took the initiative to go out and collect native seeds, this is a Native Plant Corps afterall.
Given the amount of invasive and non-native species that have been so gracefully taken care of during the team's project work days, it has been a nice change of pace to get to learn more about the native plants and the different seeds they produce.
Want to know an easy way to collect acorns?
Park your truck under an oak tree
Have a great week everyone!
From,
your friendly neighborhood invasive plant team
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Fast Times at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial [57]
Greetings everyone,
Our Team has returned to CVNP from a project at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial (LIBO), a National Park site located in Southern Indiana (check out www.nps.gov/libo [58]).
The Park is the site where President Abraham Lincoln grew up from a young boy to a young man. His father moved his family out there and this was part of the middle portion of President Lincoln's life journey from Kentucky to Indiana to Illinois and of course culminating in the White House in Washington DC.
The 200 acre park has a visitor center with a history of President Lincoln and pieces of his history, including cabinets his father built. President Lincoln's Mother, Nancy, is buried at a cemetary north of the visitor center. A replica cabin is also used at the park to show visitors the settler lifestyle.
The CVNP Native Plants Team journeyed to LIBO to help with invasive plant management. Working alongside LIBO Staff, the team helped gather data on the species of invasive plants and also treated them.
Invasive species that were treated included: Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum), European Privet (Ligustrum vulgare), Silktree (Albizia julibrissin) and Chinese Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima).
The Team also received a chance to visit the nearby town of Santa Claus, you read that correctly. It was quite a holiday themed town!
Hope the season is going great for everyone and feel free to stop by CVNP to check out the area if you are passing through,
Thanks,
CVNP Native Plant Team
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Marsh-ian landscape [69]
Greetings from Cuyahoga Valley National Park!
It has been an extremely hot and humid summer here in Northeast Ohio.
The last few weeks the team has been a part of a variety of projects including our first encounter with Ailanthus altissima (or Chinese Tree of Heaven).
The team used chain saws to cut, buck and girdle a grove of Ailanthus altissima at Site #4 - Terra Vista. (Photo below)
Team Members also presented a midseason presentation to a group of student workers who were working at CVNP for a few weeks with Resource Management. The team took the students on a roughly 2 mile (round trip) walk along the tow path trail to the Beaver Marsh. Along the way members asked/answered questions about various plants and also told the students about the history of the park, Cuyahoga River, Ohio and Erie Canal, and SCA's partnership with the Park.
Students learned about the history and progression of invasive/non-native species introduction into the Park and what the SCA Team was doing to help combat expansion. The work the student's had been doing was directly tied to the SCA Team's work so the presentation came full circle when they understood that there was a larger goal to achieve. (Photos below)
The highlight of the presentation for many was a chance to see the native wildlife and flora at the beaver marsh itself. (Photo below)
Another interesting project the team worked on was removing a Japanese vine: Kudzu (of the genus Pueraria). The team worked alongside Park Staff and helped to cut, treat and spray the fast growing vine.
The weather seems to be cooling down now as fall approaches but there is still plenty of work to do. Stay tuned for the next update and we all hope you are doing great whether you are in the field or getting ready to hit the project season,
Best,
SCA Native Plants Team at CVNP
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Railroad Blues [76]
Another long work week has passed, this time it just so happened that we worked alongside the railroad tracks.
Our main site this week was at Station Road near the Brecksville Train Stop along the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway. The goal was to remove as much of the non-native invasive species from the site near the parking lots, in forested areas on either side of the railway tracks and also along the towpath.
Each day the train cars passed by our site several times and we got to listen to the horn up close and personal each time.
Noise aside our team was able to complete over 10 acres of work and remove hundreds of non-native plants such as autumn olive, bush honeysuckle, Japanese barberry, privet and multiflora rose.
This week we also spent time scouting sites and coming up with management and treatment strategies for those sites.
Highlight of the week: Our chainsaws arrived so we were able to finally cut down some of the larger woody shrubs that a handsaw could not cut through.
Hope everyone is staying hydrated during these hot days and that you are all enjoying your projects.
CVNP SCA Native Plants Team
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Oh so Chipper [85]
Greetings from Northeast Ohio
It has been a month since we last had an update so here is a recap of what the CVNP Native Plants Team has been doing over the last month:
1) Scouting the sites that will be worked on within CVNP
2) Taking note of the non-native invasive plant species that we see while walking through sites
3) Going over the best way to manage the plants that need to be removed
4) Cutting and treating large invasive shrubs
5) Chipping the large shrubs and small trees that are cut down
6) Letting it be known that invasive species are not welcome at the park and that they should take notice when we arrive at a site :)
One site we have worked on quite a bit is the site of the old Richfield Colesium. If you are a basketball fan, that is the site where Michael Jordan famously made "The Shot" as it is known in Northeast Ohio against the Cleveland Cavaliers to advance in the playoffs.
It is quite amazing that when we walk through the site (now a grassland) that we have to imagine thousands of people sitting in stands watching basketball. Now it is known primarily as a great place to view native birds in the Park.
We also finished our first site this last week at the Frazee House. Even though the weather was extremely hot (90s all week) the team was able to accomplish the task of finishing the site and now we look forward to moving on to the next one!
Hope everyone is having a great time wherever they are (in the field, on breaks, etc).
All the best,
Isaac, John, Trevor, Tyler
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First updates from the field [91]
Greetings all,
The SCA Native Plants Team at Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) has completed its first week of project work and is in the homestretch of its second week of project work.
Thus far the work has primarily focused on removal of invasive tree species to CVNP such as Autumn Olive, Bush Honeysuckle, Multiflora Rose, Buckthorn and many others.
GPS has been used to monitor our tracks so an area covered can be calculated on posted on a map. Though the weather has been changing the team has been able to work just about every day in the field.
Stay tuned for our next update and please feel free to contact us with any questions!
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Member Training a Success [96]
The SCA Native Plants Team at CVNP completed a successful Member Training that lasted several weeks. From on site training at CVNP to SCA Member Training in McCall Idaho, the team accomplished a great deal.
Some highlights: members are now Wilderness First Aid Certified, CPR Certified, have a certificate for completion of a chainsaw course, and are fast becoming familiar with the non-native and invasive plant species that they will be dealing with during the project
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Team Photo [101]
The Team after a days work at Terra Vista Natural Study Area in Cuyahoga Valley National Park
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Trevor Ellis [105]
I was born in upstate New York and recently graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Biology concentrating in ecology evolution and behavior. I got interested in conservation while studying ecosystems in Costa Rica and participating in local reforestation projects. Because of my interest in conservation I am excited to dedicate my efforts to conservation in Cuyahoga National Park. This is the first SCA program that I am involved in and hope this starts a long career of conservation work.
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Tyler Lau - Project Leader [109]
This is Tyler's first year as a Project Leader with the SCA Conservation Corps Native Plants. His background is based in Environmental Science, with degrees in Environmental Systems and Urban Studies and Planning from the University of California San Diego.
Tyler has worked with various conservation organizations in the past and has traveled the world to learn more and support conservation/restoration efforts. Past projects include work in the North Island of New Zealand, in the rainforests of Belize and in canyon communities in Mexico. Projects he has been involved with range from native habitat restoration, invasive species management, trail building, environmental/outdoor education and community development.
Tyler enjoys getting into the field and all the tough jobs that come along with it. Hiking, backpacking, camping and many other outdoor activities are some of the hobbies on his favorite list. He is happy to be working with Cuyahoga Valley National Park, wants to improve upon his leadership skills, hopes to learn more about the local issues the Park faces and to help out wherever he can.
"Life is an adventure"
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Isaac Arndt, Cuyahoga Valley National Park [112]
Hi, my name is Isaac Arndt i live in Shellbyville, Michigan. I graduated from Aquinas College spring of 2010, with a bachelors in Geography and history. I hope to use that education to one day work in a national park or possibly city planning. I grew up on a farm, i hunt and fish, but i'd rather be golfing or palying some beach volleyball. Thats just the basic's.
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John Price Bio [115]
I was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and currently live with my wife in upstate New York. I'm a plant science major and am just graduating this spring. I joined SCA because of a life-long interest in conservation and native plants. My interests are varied, extending from landscaping, hiking, fishing, and other outdoorsy activities to reading and writing short fiction. I love sports as well, especially watching baseball and playing tennis and frisbee golf.
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Site Introduction and Project Overview [118]
"Though a short distance from the urban environments of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley National Park seems worlds away. The winding Cuyahoga—the "crooked river" as named by American Indians—gives way to deep forests, rolling hills, and open farmlands. The park is a refuge for flora and fauna and provides recreation and solitude for visitors." CVNP
The SCA Conservation Corps - Native Plant Team is partnering with staff of Cuyahoga Valley National Park to assist in removing exotic, invasive plant infestations across the Park. In addition the SCA Corps members will be working on education and outreach material to be used in community service and volunteer service days.
Some examples of invasive and exotic species are: Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard), Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive), and Phragmites australis (common reed).
A list of invasive/exotic plant species can be found at:
https://mwrcms.nps.gov/cuva/naturescience/invasive-plants.htm [119]
Attached is a copy of how the Park came to be through the actions of dedicated volunteers.
For more information you can visit the park website at:
http://www.nps.gov/cuva/ [120]
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