Day One: Monday July 16’Th, with a sweltering heat the team planted The Great Marsh during the morning. The marsh is in need of rain, and badly. As it becomes later in the day, the temperature continues to rise. As it came time to have lunch the day’s plans change. After lunch the team goes to a local café to have drinks and work on office things.
Day Two: Tuesday July 17’Th, The temperatures are forecasted to be over a hundred degrees. Today’s plan is to collect seeds from Miller Beach located near Gary, IN. The drive to the park was interesting to say the least. Once down a gated dirt road the team departs the truck. Thank goodness we are near the coastline. The heat is intense, enough that the team drank the entire water cooler (A first this summer). The seed picking went well and it was an activity enjoyed by all. It was saddening to see how dry this area had become. It was very easy to see where the water should have been and was not because of the drought.
Day Three: Wednesday July 18’Th, During the morning the team arrived at the bog, almost as soon as we arrive you could notice dark storm clouds headed our way. Soon we hear the crackle of thunder in the distance. The team moves to the truck for shelter during the storm. After a while of waiting we decide to wait it out at the train station. A while after that we head to the green houses to be productive when the storm seems it won’t let up. We begin transplanting plants into larger flats. After lunch the storm has passed and we head back to the bog to finish the planting that was started that morning.
Day Four: Thursday July 19’th, The drive to work takes a while as the storm from the night before left the town in a power outage. At the park station the team is invited by NPS personnel to help carry wooden pallets out into the Cowle’s Bog to construct a pathway along the marsh. The pallet walkway will maintain the health of the vegetative mat surface as people carry equipment out to the marsh to do work. Once completed with our task we head to the greenhouses to work on transplanting. After lunch the team begins planting in the marsh. The wetlands finally got the rain that was needed to nurture life into the plants that had been parched for so long. To complete the day we head back to the park’s base, wash off tools, and go over a few things. It is the end of the work week and spirits are high.
