You are invited to join us on Saturday, May 13th from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at Appleton Preserve, a part of the larger Bell Cedar Swamp.
We have been working to create and maintain habitat for the New England Cottontail and other fauna on a number of our preserves, in association with the Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge initiative. At Appleton Preserve, with our wildlife habitat piles (i.e. bunny piles) built, we turn our focus to the removal of autumn olive, multiflora rose, and black locust, invasive species that have crept into some of the early emergent habitat or “thicket”.
If you’ve assisted with this before, you know that it is not for the faint of heart. We will work in small teams of 2-3 to cut, remove, and treat these invasives. Stump painting with herbicide will be a component of this management effort, although there are plenty of other tasks to be done. Thick clothing and heavy gloves are recommended. Tools will be provided, but feel free to bring your own. No experience necessary. Plant identification tutorial provided on-site.
The event will start at 9:00 am and teams will accomplish as much as possible until 12:00 pm.
There is a small parking area adjacent to 51 Boombridge Road, North Stonington. Vehicles with higher clearance/4x4 may continue past the gate, down the access road to the work site, otherwise we can walk down together. Carpooling is encouraged.
