Weather for our July 8 work day was warm, in mid- to high-80’s, but quite comfortable under the trees. Cicadas are singing in their chorus now. The usual bird inhabitants were seen and/or heard, and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, a Tiger Bee-wasp, and paper wasps were seen. With the arrival of high summer along with wet weather, trees are all fully leafed out and deep healthy green. Buttonbush in wetland area is a bit sparse due to being repeatedly mowed in last several years, but is present and blooming. After work we cooled off with a refreshing watermelon provided by Price C. Down by the creek, our hard-working volunteers Dave C. and Jackie M. continued to pull privet and wisteria sprouts and re-sprouts, along with Creeping Charlie vines and dead branches. Dave cut, hauled to dumpster, and disposed of six very large, tree-sized privets with berries already developing; and staked and cabled a young black walnut growing very close to the boardwalk, so it can hopefully grow erect without leaning over the structure. Dave installed two high quality high-impact plastic plant labels on the boardwalk railing for park users’ information (one for river birches and one for the black walnut), and also cut away several large wisteria vines from trees growing north of board-walk in this same area. On other side of the creek, MaryAnn T. pulled perilla and Japanese chaff flower from both sides of trail; and up along Nickajack Rd. Lea M. used her string trimmer and trimmed back excessive growth along ~ 200’ of sidewalk. We didn’t put any plants into the ground today, but will wait until cooler weather to resume doing so.
Heritage Park July Work Day Report
