Report of Mary Scott Nature Park workday September 5, 2020
On a hot September morning, four neighbors and GNPS members worked at Mary Scott Nature Park. Plus, we had four Chamblee High School students earning service hours.
With our summer rains, many plants continue to bloom: Phlox paniculata, Rudbeckia hirta, purple coneflower, mountain mint, butterfly weed, Georgia basil, cardinal flower, goldenrod, and wild petunia. The beautyberry bushes are sporting magenta berries.
We could enjoy the song of the cicadae, even above the noise of the neighbors’ blowers and mowers.
One of the high school students found two Monarch caterpillars on the butterfly weed.
Four people pulled two bags of English ivy. The kiosks were updated. Two people dug Japanese chaff flower and pulled Microstegium from the bank above the creek. One person removed brush from the retention pond area near Briarcliff Road. Some of the wire cages were replaced around some of the native Hydrangeas to prevent further breakage of the branches by park users who insist on running on the steep bank between the chimneys and the creek. Signs requesting that the paths be used have disappeared.
A Boy Scout and his friends and advisors built a section of steps down to the creek to earn his Eagle Scout badge. This park improvement was badly needed to prevent further erosion of that area of the park.
The next scheduled workday will be Saturday, October 3, 2020, 2-4pm, when we plan to continue removing nonnative plants. Please bring your gardening gloves, soil knife/trowel, and kneeler to help.