FRIENDS OF EDGEWOOD NATURAL PRESERVE
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FRIENDS OF EDGEWOOD NATURAL PRESERVE
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EDGEWOODIANA—SYLVAN WEEDS By Carolyn Strange Question We know the Weed Warriors are busy in Edgewood, but there are big areas of non-native plants like periwinkle and Bermuda buttercup on the Sylvan trail, down near the Day Camp. Why don’t they tear those out? Answer Edgewood would look quite different if not for our Weed Warriors, no question. Their goal is to foster native plants and habitats by removing invasive non-natives. But despite the thousands of hours they invest every year, it’s still a triage situation. Similar to an overwhelmed emergency room, they must decide where to focus limited resources to achieve the best outcomes. “We’re trying to protect the best, most valuable habitat first,” says Paul Heiple, who is Friday head weeder and one of the committee of stewards who guide Edgewood’s weed management efforts. Their decisions balance numerous complicated criteria, particularly the locations of the healthiest populations of natives, especially rare plants. Long before Edgewood was preserved, people used to live along the lower parts of what’s now the Sylvan trail, and they cultivated various ornamental plants and fruit trees. The houses are gone, but ecological disturbance remains. “We do work the edges of the area to keep it from spreading,” Paul says. But in terms of healthy habitat, that area is pretty far gone. Restoring it will be a big project, probably requiring more resources from the County. (See Parks for the Future article.) Meanwhile our weeders continue their sweeps across higher priority areas. “We’re always happy to have more hands and ideas,” Paul says. The Schedule of Habitat Restoration Outings is posted at http://edgewood.thinkersrus.net/schedule.html. Joining these knowledgeable folks is a great way to learn more about plants and Edgewood. Next Edgewoodiana Article Has Sudden Oak Death reached Edgewood? What do you want to know about Edgewood? Send your questions to: Edgewoodiana at this domain. |
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