Report of Mary Scott Nature Park workday July 08, 2017
On a humid summer day, 5 GNPS members and 5 members of Girl Scout Troup 11525 with their leader met at the Mary Scott Nature Park to continue planting and weeding the front parking lot bed and the pollinator flower bed. Many weeds were removed primarily crabgrass, which will have to be removed again next workday.
Four other workers concentrated on the West Overlook entrance since so many exotic plant pests are clustered there. The nonnative invasives removed included Japanese honeysuckle, English ivy, nandina, Microstegium, winter creeper, Japanese holly, Wisteria seedlings, Vinca minor, some chaff flower, and a large Mahonia holly. At last count five Bradford pear trees remain to be removed.
The Stokes’ asters which were planted in May had been subjected to vehicular homicide. Resuscitation procedures were performed. Success is uncertain.
Some of the native perennials that were blooming included Rudbeckia ‘Goldstrum’, Liatris, butterfly weed, mountain mint (Pycanthemum loomis), attracting and feeding pollinating insects. Other blooming plants included beautyberry and bottlebrush buckeye.
The next scheduled workday will be Saturday, August 05, 2017, 09:30-11:30 am and a second session 1:00-3:00 pm when we plan to continue removing weeds from the new beds. We will also work along the paths hand pulling Microstegium and excavating the chaff flower plants and removing other exotic pest plants.