Crow’s Nest: Catching up

By Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager.

Photo: Daniel Barringer

We’ve had a busy year at Crow’s Nest Preserve—no shortage of things to write about, just not much time to do it.

One of the projects we’ve been trying to keep up with is dealing with dead ash trees in our hedgerows and woods edges which have begun to fall or break up into the farm fields. (Remember, we took down about 230 along roadsides, but we aren’t cutting down the thousands of others on the preserve. But fall they will, and if the wood interferes with operations, then we clean it up.) Above, Cody Hudgens cuts up branches that broke of one ash tree.

Photo: Daniel Barringer

Another project Cody undertook is replacing the posts for the lights in the parking lot. The ones we had there previously were intended to be temporary, more of a design exercise to see how we might improve lighting for nighttime events (which, admittedly, we haven’t been holding during the pandemic—but someday will again!). The temporary posts ended up lasting several years but it was clear a more permanent solution was needed. As we move into the winter months these lights will get some use at the end of our outdoor kids’ programs.

Photo: Daniel Barringer

Another big improvement (above and below) is resurfacing the gravel path between the parking area and the visitor center barn. Our volunteers from our teen service corps spread the gravel in spots that had washed out and put a thin layer on the whole surface; we’re thrilled with how it turned out.

Photo: Daniel Barringer