Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Modus Operandi
Moving forward, I am planning to adjust the landscape fabric that is on-site and add more to the rest of the site. The poison ivy is going to be a problem...My thinking is that we will add soil to cover the fabric, and plant various hardy natives such as milkweed, jewelweed, and a few other beneficial plants that have a strong chance of surviving - and of coming back after a winter-ful of snow dumped on them.
Out with the old, in with the...ivy??
Yeah, you guessed it -- Jayne says this is the most "vigorous" and "impressive" patch of poison ivy she's ever seen. this just goes to emphasize the importance of planning what you're going to do AFTER you get rid of your knotweed!
Fabric has potential.
The landscape fabric worked wonders, but the rough treatment over the winter allowed it to gap at the seams and some knotweed stalks broke through. The rest of the site was thickly grown in again, but not as densely or as vigorously as the rest of the lot, where we aren't working.
Better than before, but more to be done!
Early June, 2008. Jayne Smith and I tackle the site for its first actual cut since last September. The piles of gravel and dirt in the background hint at the other uses of "our" site -- the town crews are working hard to repair roads as the sewer lines are separated from the storm drains. Note the lush green knotweed on the left, shorter and narrower stalks than the stuff behind the gravel piles -- a few cuts last year made a difference!
Never underestimate the power of knotweed.
The amazing stuff has returned, reaching for the sunlight, racing to beat out the poison ivy as the toughest kid on the block.
It's ba-a-a-a-a-ck....!
Yes, it's early spring, and the site is awash in debris left from the tons of snow and sand piled up over the winter. This is a shot of the landscape fabric covered with dead knotweed stalks and lots of sand. That's Route 11 in the background.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Demo site winding down, mapping project gearing UP!
Thank you to everyone who has put forth so much effort, time and interest for our Japanese knotweed demonstration site this year, our first attempt at mechanical management of this fascinating and persistent plant. Funding came from the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund, input and collaboration from the Planning Commission, the Natural Resources Conservation District and the Agency of Natural Resources. Permission and partnership with the Town of Springfield is essential to this project (many thanks to Town Manager, Bob Forguites for helping us get under way expeditiously).
Input, advice, encouragement and suggestions came from so many corners that I'm bound to forget a few...but thank you to all the scientists, biologists, authors, ecologists and community leaders who have answered my pesky questions and offered wisdom from your own experiences.
Community support has been simply outstanding, from Jason of Larochelle Landscaping to Bibens ACE Hardware and Skyline Nursery ~ your services and supplies have been extremely helpful! The value of commitment from a great group of outstanding volunteers is truly immeasurable. Heather, Robin, Jan, Jesse, Allan and Moira...thank you all from the bottom of my heart. And a big hug of thanks to my wonderful hubby, John, for putting up with all my knotweed zaniness this past year!
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Well, the knotweed is hibernating for the season, so we are moving forward with other aspects of the project. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting with Josh O'Neill today, a UVM student whose GPS class is branching out to donate their services to the community-at-large. He will be spending time in the upper reaches of the Black River watershed for the next five weeks, taking GPS points and developing some fabulous maps for us!
In addition to knowing where the knotweed is along Route 100 from Black Pond to Ludlow, Josh will be including data on the soil types, topography, tributary streams, and slope within a 100' buffer from the river and from the road. He'll be tying this in to land use maps from the Regional Planning Commission, and will also be working to develop a user-friendly, hands-on ArcReader GIS tool for the BRAT website!
Keep an eye on us: http://www.blackriveractionteam.org/.
Input, advice, encouragement and suggestions came from so many corners that I'm bound to forget a few...but thank you to all the scientists, biologists, authors, ecologists and community leaders who have answered my pesky questions and offered wisdom from your own experiences.
Community support has been simply outstanding, from Jason of Larochelle Landscaping to Bibens ACE Hardware and Skyline Nursery ~ your services and supplies have been extremely helpful! The value of commitment from a great group of outstanding volunteers is truly immeasurable. Heather, Robin, Jan, Jesse, Allan and Moira...thank you all from the bottom of my heart. And a big hug of thanks to my wonderful hubby, John, for putting up with all my knotweed zaniness this past year!
**********************************************************************************
Well, the knotweed is hibernating for the season, so we are moving forward with other aspects of the project. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting with Josh O'Neill today, a UVM student whose GPS class is branching out to donate their services to the community-at-large. He will be spending time in the upper reaches of the Black River watershed for the next five weeks, taking GPS points and developing some fabulous maps for us!
In addition to knowing where the knotweed is along Route 100 from Black Pond to Ludlow, Josh will be including data on the soil types, topography, tributary streams, and slope within a 100' buffer from the river and from the road. He'll be tying this in to land use maps from the Regional Planning Commission, and will also be working to develop a user-friendly, hands-on ArcReader GIS tool for the BRAT website!
Keep an eye on us: http://www.blackriveractionteam.org/.
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