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Where is the Himalayan blackberry? Gone!
In its place snowberry, ferns, and cow parsnip. |
It's raining so it must be a Saturday workday in Garber Park! A stalwart group of three headed to the Harwood Creek area on the Lower Loop Trail. The Himalayan blackberry bashers have been chopping away at the huge blackberry stand in this area since last fall, and have cleared the area along the creek from the Lower Loop Trail all the way to the Upper Loop Trail, freeing large stands of snowberry, ferns, willows, and bay trees. Today's task was to remove the last bit of blackberry growing amidst the snowberry, as well as the broom, poison hemlock, and Cape ivy that was only beginning to invade the area. At the end of the day we looked up the hillside from the trail, smiling at what we have accomplished - we were looking at a hillside of snowberry, ferns, and cow parsnip.
Meanwhile, Mary was at The Restoration Site at the Evergreen Lane entrance conducting the first monthly photographic documentation of our recent planting on the hillside. The plants are all thriving and enjoying these spring rains. When we finally get a bit of sunshine we hope you will find time to come and walk the Loop Trail, enjoying Garber Park in its Spring beauty.
April Workdays: Tuesday, April 2, 10AM-Noon, and Saturday, April 16 (Earth Day), 9AM-Noon. We will be taking advantage of the soft ground to pull cape ivy, poison hemlock, and French broom, as well as trail maintenance and cleaning up the area around Fireplace Plaza.
