By Nicole DeLizzio, Stewardship Manager
Spring is upon us! With it comes the beauty of spring ephemerals and the warm sun on our faces—both of which will be more than welcome after such a long, cold winter. As exciting as the changing season is, it also brings us one step closer to the opening of our newest 90-acre preserve, Kestrel Hill.
This winter, the stewardship team and our lovely volunteers have been hard at work preparing for a large spring riparian planting that will be supported by grant funding from the Department of Natural Resources (DCNR). So far, about one acre of densely packed invasive plant species has been cleared from the area. Some of the main invasives we have been tackling include honeysuckle shrub (Lonicera spp.), privet (Ligustrum spp.), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) honeysuckle vine (Lonicera japonica) and oriental bittersweet vine (Celastrus orbiculatus), all of which have begun to dominate the understory and choke out native growth. Removing these aggressive species is no small task, especially when they have had years to establish themselves. However, clearing them out is a critical first step in restoring balance to the ecosystem, and we wouldn’t have been successful in completing that step without the hours of dedicated hard work from our volunteers!
The most rewarding part of the clearing process has been uncovering native plants that were hidden beneath the entanglement of invasives. It has felt a bit like uncovering hidden treasures! We have already revealed several of our native Carex species, and we were especially excited to find one of our native hibiscus, Hibiscus moscheutos, still holding on. Discoveries like these remind us why this work matters. When planning our restoration planting, we are intentionally complimenting the species that are already present and surviving in the ecosystem. By building around what is naturally thriving, we can strengthen the existing plant community and complement it with additional native species that belong in this habitat. To marry our winter restoration work, we recently hosted a spring tree planting with over 150 native trees and shrubs including our native sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor), winterberry (Ilex verticillata), native rose (Rosa caroliana) and one of my favorite water-loving tree species, bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). Now, we’ll step back and let nature take its course (mostly). One of the hardest parts of land stewardship is being patient enough to witness these small saplings establish roots and become future canopy!
Below: Hibiscus moscheutos
We have also been collecting seeds from the native plants we have uncovered from the site. Our goal is to propagate and grow those collected seeds at our native plant nursery over the next few years and then replant them back in the areas where they were originally found. Collecting and replanting seeds from a specific site helps preserve the local genetic makeup of the plant population and supports a healthier, more resilient ecosystem in the long term. It is a slower process, but one that will have an extremely rewarding payoff.
In addition to clearing the heavily invaded riparian zone, we had to remove several black walnut trees due to severe decay at their bases due to the risk they posed of falling onto our upcoming planting area. While it is never easy to take down mature trees, safety and long-term site health come first. Most of the wood will be left in place to naturally decompose, returning nutrients to the soil, providing habitat for native birds, mammals and herpetofauna species, and helping with erosion control. We are also excited to weave together a bit of sustainability and creativity to mill a few of the larger logs and transform them into benches for the preserve!
We’re excited to soon welcome the community to explore, enjoy and help care for this growing landscape. Every volunteer hour, every planted sapling and every collected seed will play a vital role in nurturing this beautiful space – one where both wildlife and our community can reap the benefits!
Below: Staff member Nicole DeLizzio removing invasive shrubs
