WEEK 10, July 5

Barry, Glenda, Hedrik, Geoff, Marg and Luke braved the scorching heat today to continue the battle with DSV. 

Tony Denton had turned up at 7:30 this morning and was just getting ready to leave as we arrived to start work. That got us thinking - it already being a hot day and getting hotter - that we should come in earlier ourselves. We decided on 7:30 as well, although anyone who doesn't make it at that time is welcome to come in later. 

Thanks to the lighter summer traffic, Glenda was able to tackle a small area of the Bill Holland trail before we gathered and got started.  Although just a small area, it did clear the DSV from a tree and some other plants.

We returned to the Old Field and to the south slope of the pond and the field beyond it. In the Old Field, Geoff continued scything along the trail running north along the west side of the Ash Woods. He continued cutting from the T-intersection (where Green Heron Road meets the Ash Woods trail) toward the ravine, then after break scythed part of the triangle at the T-intersection and did a second cut on the northeast corner of the Old Field, first cut in Week 5. Glenda and Marg continued clipping in that area, clearing DSV from among the other plants, primarily goldenrod, growing there. 

Typical View of Goldenrod AFTER the work

Typical View of Goldenrod Patch BEFORE

Pile of DSV pulled from near and amongst the Goldenrod

Barry and Hedrik worked on the pond slope and field to the south. This field had been left alone, apart from some work on the eastern and western edges, as there are so many Tree Swallow nesting boxes there. Not a TS in sight today, however; Christine had noted that they fledge by end of June, and this year they proved true to form. The field had become an eager target and about two thirds of it was cut. Luke arrived around 10:15, keen to use a scythe for the first time. He had a talent for it and happily cut his way around the field even as the rest of us took a break. Barry and Hedrik took turns lending him their scythes and pulled DSV growing among the cat-tails at the edge of the pond. The Red-winged Blackbirds protested but they seem a hardier species than the Tree Swallows so we weren't too concerned. Hedrik found a nest low in the DSV where he was cutting; it was clearly no longer in use and possibly a Song Sparrow's, as they like nesting close to the ground.  Below are pictures showing just some of the impact of their work today. Since May, the DSV has been growing taller and taller in this area.  Now, once again, we can see the base of the trees and some native plants in the background.

Barry went to the Old Field to let people know it was quitting time. Marg and Glenda were still clipping away and Barry idly pulled a few plants while chatting about their work. He then took the trail running west to check how DSV was doing in the OF. Passersby had pulled plants here and there, so Barry got into it as well, spending about 40 minutes pulling plants around a small tree near the bush this trail runs through.

This trail ends at the north-south trail that marks the western edge of the OF. Cutting north toward the pond, Barry pulled DSV plants among the bushes and small trees along this trail. Two observations come from this experience: pulling is a relatively satisfying way to deal with DSV, easier than scything and more efficient for removing DSV growing among other plants we want to keep. This was a taste of the technique we'll be advocating for the upcoming Sunday blitz days. But rambling along and checking for DSV here and there on the edges of trails and stopping to pull it out was another satisfying task. Same technique, different application.

So now there are two kinds of activities, both using pulling (or clipping, if preferred), to deal with relatively small or hard to cut patches of DSV. Scything in this hot weather is exhausting, requiring frequent breaks and care not to over-heat. But pulling provides a respite, being easier and, if along the trails, some shelter from the sun.

We made excellent progress today, but the window for cutting/pulling DSV and leaving it as mulch is closing. The pods are getting bigger and the day is coming when we will need to start bagging it up, at least in areas of most mature growth. This will add to the work load while decreasing the time for cutting. We'll need to check this week's cut areas in the near future to make sure that pods are not already producing viable seed. Probably not yet, but cut plants dry out and release seed faster than growing plants. We noticed as well many small orange pods near the tops of the plants; these appear to be dessicated pods, so maybe the sun that helps DSV grow so quickly is also drying them out. Considering how we feel working in this heat, that is poetic justice indeed.

A final observation: the comfrey patches were swarming with pollinators; the DSV is a comparative dead zone, with other insects around but few if any pollinators.