Ryan O’Leary

Date of volunteer work: 02/26/2016.
Site Name: The Buttes.
Number of hours worked: 3.
Species removed: English Ivy, Himalayan Blackberry, Garlic Mustard.
Estimated percent cover before removal2%.
Approximate square feet of invasives removed10.

This was my first time out alone as a park steward so I wanted to get a good lay of the land and assess where the problem areas are. I started by pulling up some blackberries near the road, but quickly realized I was going to need a shovel to dig up the roots of the thicker vines. So I walked into the woods toward Johnson Creek. There was sporadic English ivy and Himalayan blackberries, I also came across Yellow archangel. There is Garlic Mustard on the fringe of the creek bank, so I decided to pull some of it up, clearing a few square feet. After that I followed a stomped out path along the creek seeing mostly ivy and garlic mustard. I ran into a private property sign and turned back. About half way I detoured and starting heading up the butte canyon. I found the switchback and made it to the upper portion of the park. This area’s biggest problem is English Ivy. I decided since I had walked all the way up there I might as well pull some of it. So I worked my along the hill and pulled up about 8 square feet. I came back down the hill a different way and stumbled across a deer trail with fresh tracks and scat. The tracks could have been coyote I’m not sure. On the way down I discovered some pretty nasty blackberry vines which I had not seen when I came up with Susan and Mart. I emerged from the forest and back to my car. Since this site is so huge I decided to then drive up Barbara Welch Blvd. and get a quick inventory of area 2. I found the pull out on the side of the road and started walking up an old maintenance road. This area looked pretty clear of invasives, although I wasn’t able to poke around for too long. There was some ivy and blackberries. Also there looked to be some areas where people had slept but no camps. Overall it was a fun trip and I now have a good plan of attack for removing invasive species.

Felled tree over Johnson Creek
Felled tree over Johnson Creek
English Ivy at top of the Butte
English Ivy at top of the Butte
Looking down the Butte Canyon
Looking down the Butte Canyon
Garlic Mustard near Johnson Creek
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