Date of volunteer work: 11/23/2016.
Site Name: Mitchell Creek.
Number of hours worked: 2.5.
Species removed: Armenian blackberry, English ivy, foxglove.
Estimated percent cover before removal5% 1% 20%.
Approximate square feet of invasives removed10 1 15.
I began by crisscrossing the area I have spent most of my effort these past 20 months, looking for and uprooting overlooked blackberry canes. Next, I walked up the road in search of weeds, finding and uprooting blackberry, foxglove and ivy. Lastly, I hiked into the northern section to uproot blackberries in an area that appears to have been sprayed before I had began work as a steward.
The forest floor was littered with brown, big-leaf maple leaves and water was flowing from the seasonal spring. A mule deer came within 50 feet of where I stood (I had heard it approaching and stopped to listen) before spotting me and running off.
I met a 26-year resident of the neighborhood and learned some history of the area during our 15 minute chat.