Italian Arum
Celadine
Dandelions
English Ivy
Thanks Erin for the great photos!
One more interesting link about invasive plant species in Portland .
more to be added soon.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
First Work Party of Spring
On Saturday, April 10th we held our first work party of the spring term. The party was a rousing success. We received generous donations of coffee from Starbucks and baked goods from Baristadors. The work party would not have nearly as productive without the caffeine and simple sugars. Thanks guys!
We divided the volunteers between SNAP and the native plant propagation area at PCC Sylvania. April, Sam, and Nathan led the volunteers in their endeavor to weed out the propagation area. Lizzie, Erin, and Jessica led a team of volunteers with weeding in the so-called "Lizzie Quadrant" at SNAP. Between coffee breaks and gazing at fawn lilies we managed to pull ivy, laurel, dandelions, ranunculus, and a bit of herb robert.
We plan to continue our work weeding the native plant propagation area and weeding the plantings at snap this coming Saturday! We've also got some other big plans in the works- so keep checking back!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Welcome Back!
Well, we are now in winter 2010. A decade is over, maybe. One thing is for certain, a new school term has begun! Before long we will all be knee deep in homework, studying or grading. I already am. And before long extra credit will start to look really good!
Unfortunately for us, English ivy waits for no one. So we have planned three work parties to attack the invaders head on. First on February 6th we will plant native species at SNAP (Sylvania Natural Area Park). Surprisingly (at least to a New Englander) winter is a good season for planting. The soil is damp, the ground is most often not too frozen, and the park is not overgrown. Winter in western Oregon provides a sweet little opportunity for native plants to take root before the spring and summer encourage the rapid growth & spreading of the invaders (ivy, wisteria, etc). Every year that the habitat team has the opportunity to sneak in some native plants during the winter reprieve, the hold that the alien species have on the park erodes.
Naturally though, whether or not our devious plan is executed is entirely dependent upon the weather. If it rains, we shall still work. In fact rain would be a boon as it ensures the new plantings are properly wet. If it snows however, the party will have to be cancelled.
Our other scheduled work parties of the winter term are on 2/20 and 3/6. These will probably be the more typical restoration work that habitat team does, such as ivy pulls, weeding, and park upkeep.
Some other exciting news is that we may be getting involved with some mapping of the park. And not to be missed is the Hab team's debut on youtube!
Peace
Unfortunately for us, English ivy waits for no one. So we have planned three work parties to attack the invaders head on. First on February 6th we will plant native species at SNAP (Sylvania Natural Area Park). Surprisingly (at least to a New Englander) winter is a good season for planting. The soil is damp, the ground is most often not too frozen, and the park is not overgrown. Winter in western Oregon provides a sweet little opportunity for native plants to take root before the spring and summer encourage the rapid growth & spreading of the invaders (ivy, wisteria, etc). Every year that the habitat team has the opportunity to sneak in some native plants during the winter reprieve, the hold that the alien species have on the park erodes.
Naturally though, whether or not our devious plan is executed is entirely dependent upon the weather. If it rains, we shall still work. In fact rain would be a boon as it ensures the new plantings are properly wet. If it snows however, the party will have to be cancelled.
Our other scheduled work parties of the winter term are on 2/20 and 3/6. These will probably be the more typical restoration work that habitat team does, such as ivy pulls, weeding, and park upkeep.
Some other exciting news is that we may be getting involved with some mapping of the park. And not to be missed is the Hab team's debut on youtube!
Peace
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Success!
Today we held the final work party of the term at SNAP. I am of the mind that it was a great success. We got in there, pulled some English ivy and Himalayan blackberries, ate some delicious treats from Great Harvest, and enjoyed the last bit of fall. Great work everybody! We're done for the term. Well, not really...
There are still grants and reports to write. There is still that little obligation of having to plan for winter. And I do have a lot of work to do on this blog.
I am planning to setup a 'who' and a 'why' page in the immediate future. Who as in 'who' we are and 'who' we work so hard to remove. The 'why' will be the justification of all this hard work, the muddy clothes, the early mornings on Saturdays. We are working to protect not only the park but the watershed. Our efforts have local and regional benefits.
Eventually this blog will be a resource for information about our group, training (for things such as planting and ivy pulling), and a schedule of our work parties and meetings.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Fall 2009 Schedule:
October 23 2:30-3:30 Meeting in HT Building
October 24 9:00-12:00 Second Work Party
October 30 2:30-3:30 Meeting in HT Building
November 6 2:30-3:30 Meeting in HT Building
November 11 9:00-12:00 Final Work Party of Autumn Veteran's Day
November 13 2:30-3:30 Meeting in HT Building
November 20 2:30-3:30 Meeting in HT Building
October 23 2:30-3:30 Meeting in HT Building
October 24 9:00-12:00 Second Work Party
October 30 2:30-3:30 Meeting in HT Building
November 6 2:30-3:30 Meeting in HT Building
November 11 9:00-12:00 Final Work Party of Autumn Veteran's Day
November 13 2:30-3:30 Meeting in HT Building
November 20 2:30-3:30 Meeting in HT Building
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