Crow’s Nest: Lots of volunteer progress

By Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager.

Photo: Daniel Barringer

The week began with a new class of Force of Nature volunteers attending training at Crow’s Nest. Deb Beer gives the orientation in the photo above, followed by my presentation about invasive plants and Erin Smith’s training on native plants and a sense of place. We’re excited to meet the new class of volunteers who bring new energy and lots of questions that demonstrate their interest and engagement.

At the same time this was going on, BSA Scouts from Troop 140 were here doing a cleanup supervised by Assistant Manager Cody Hudgens. They worked on an old dump that we found on one of our newer additions to the preserve, an area that we had cleaned up before but found more trash surfacing. (Freeze and thaw cycles tend to cause debris to shift to the surface. I was stunned by how much more they found.)

Photo: Cody Hudgens

Photo: Daniel Barringer

In addition to filling the dumpster with trash, the scouts collected this pile of scrap metal for recycling.

Photo: Daniel Barringer

Yesterday we held our monthly volunteer workday and chose a spot along the edge of the Deep Woods where invasive vines were flourishing. We covered a lot of ground and I am very excited to see how good this area now looks. We hold our volunteer work projects on the first Wednesday of each month from 9 – 11:30, you’re welcome to join us and can find more information and sign up here.