Progress to Report

The field work for the fall semester is reaching a peak and, like the falling leaves that cover our trails, will soon be part of the history of the preserve; Very much like last year the field season starts slow but ends with a flurry of activity, enthusiasm and accomplishment. Yesterday (Nov. 17) we had a full field day and students started at any time they wanted between 9 and 3 and worked until the end of the day with sunset being around 5 PM. It was a very successful formula with some starting as early as 9 AM (my early birds!) and many others joining in at 10, 12 and 1. Being able to choose the best time seemed to make a difference and we always had fresh troops to throw into the effort.

'early birds"


We had a total of 30 students across the entire day (which is a new record) and they did some group projects that smaller groups could not possibly do on their own; in the morning we concentrated on some vine control and cutting out the worst sections of alien vines with some good results (some great before and after pictures are included here);

1. pick your target!

2. get to the root of the problem!!

3. smile for the camera!!!

GREAT RESULTS!!!!

debris pile of vine cuttings

In the afternoon, with more people on hand, we broke up into two construction crews and one group went east to trail segments 5 and 6 and built a terracing stairway to the top of the berm; the other crew went with me to the spring section of the trail where we had some of the heavy duty boardwalking materials stored; these are “monster” planks - 16 feet long, one foot wide- and when they are wet they weigh upwards of 200 pounds. I had everyone fashion 7 or 8 ‘rope loops’ that we put around each plank. Walking on opposite side of the plank we lifted and carried it roughly 200 yards into its final resting place; no one person was going to lift anything like this by themselves but 7 people, each carrying a small part of the weigh, can accomplish amazing things; This is a lesson to be learned and the idea of 'teamwork' and 'sharing the burden' was not lost on these fine students; Both planks and their underpinning only took us about an hour to get in place and they now span one of the wettest and softest swales in the trail.

I'm proud of the heavy work these students saw and did not shy away from and also the careful work that the other group constructing the steps on the earthen berm. These two tasks only took two hours total and with plenty of good weather and daylight still burning they opted to go out one more time and do some touch up work, some fine cutting and replace one missing marking block. I told them that whenever you return from the field “never come back with an empty wheel barrow”. On their way back they hauled out some of the worst old highway debris that they came across along the way and it makes for a great final picture!

We’ll have to take a day or two to assess where we are at this season and to see if certain things need to be wrapped up; other students are still asking if they can work in a few more days and hours before the end of the semester so if the weather holds and doesn’t change over too fast maybe there is more to do in the very near future.

I couldn’t be more proud of this particular group; I know from their reactions and their good-byes and their feedback today that they took something special away from this very long and tiring day. I did too!