Stewardship - Coldwater Lake

First day we attacked the north rim of the Science Center where we had worked the year before.  Many of the older plants that had not been treated had resprouted and seeded. Many new plants had sprouted.  The old plants we cut to the ground level and the new ones we pulled with roots attached.

Second day we broke into two groups.  One group went back to bags the seeds on the north slope while the other group attacked the south slope.  The north group rejoined the south group in the afternoon.  The south group had been trying to contain the spread by attacking the outliers.  We had surveyed most of the ridge by that point and were feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Third day we stopped bagging seeds as our clippers were as sharp as spoons and focused on the older plants that are producing hundreds and thousands of seeds each every year.  Some of these plants were 5-6 feet tall and as big around.  We would cut our way the center and cut it off at the base.  We made hundreds of piles with thousands of plants.  After the third day we really felt we had made significant progress in bringing back our forest.

Proposed strategy for next year is to continue focusing on the older plants and be able to treat them at the base with a squirt bottle not spray bottles so the breeze has no effect on deployment.  And pull the new growth with the roots.  And get useful clippers! ;)