Collaboration, Community, Construction

By Beth Sullivan

A few months ago, I wrote about the power of water and some of the damage one of our beautiful trails had endured due to flooding conditions over several months last winter and spring, found here. 

The Pequotsepos Brook Preserve is home to several beautiful stone bridges which cross the brook. The bridges have been in existence for generations as old solid farm trail crossings. They are on the yellow blazed side paths off the main purple/yellow marked trail that runs from West Marine at Coogan Boulevard down to Mistuxet Avenue. Avalonia preserves the center part of this complex with a main access stairway and bridge off Maritime drive. The southern portion is Denison Society land.

The Connecticut College group got the effort started.

The Trails Team divided duties. This group used equipment to move bigger rocks into place.

A popular preserve

The preserve is well used by a wide variety of people: tourists staying nearby and visiting Old Mystic Village, and employees and families affiliated with Pendleton Health Care. Groups from the Aquarium hike through and monitor the wetlands for amphibians, and residents from the Stone Ridge community access the trails right from their back doors. When the main stone bridge trail became badly flooded, the power of the water over-washed and removed soil, plants, and small rocks. What remained were roots that were easy to trip on, and the huge old stones from the bridge itself. Footing was hazardous.

So we hatched a plan and got proper approvals and began a collaboration to get the job done. First, we were able to determine that there were plenty of rocks available from the quarry on site. Pretty lucky to have that resource. At the end of April, the students from the Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment at Connecticut College, had a work party and managed to haul several cart loads of rocks from the quarry to the work site. It was not an easy task as it was quite a distance, over muddy areas, narrow passages, and a couple of wooden bridges.

Next step: we needed bigger rocks to anchor the trail and break the forces of the water as it washed downstream. Avalonia’s new Trail Team leader Neil Duncan came out to evaluate with another volunteer who has a small tractor. They tagged a few good rocks, and on a hot sticky Saturday, about six members of the team and a few other volunteers showed up to place many of the smaller rocks and help position the bigger ones once the machine was able to extract them . Having the right equipment and many hands makes all the difference. By the end of several hours, we had a good portion of the washed-out area filled with rocks, stable enough to walk on, several larger rocks to serve as step stones and water breaks, and one flat tire. Seems no good deed goes left unpunished. We couldn’t do any more big rocks. Though we got a lot done, there was a lot more to do.

By hand the team placed the rocks to be as even as possible for stability.

More rocks moved and unloaded.

This group placed the smaller rocks to create a more solid trail base.

Pine Point School joins in

Enter Pine Point School and teacher Jon Mitchell who is Director of Social and Environmental Responsibility there. He was working with a dedicated group of teens in a summer program involving hiking and trail work. In an effort to help them really understand what it takes to maintain a trail system or do repairs, Jon contacted Avalonia to request some stewardship projects that would have a positive impact on the greater community. Jon himself was part of the earlier trails team effort on the Pequotsepos site, so he knew what our goals were and what the challenges were. On yet another hot sticky and rainy summer day, Jon and his team of teens added their energies to the project. They hauled more loads of rock from the quarry, and with patience of those who do jigsaw puzzles, they pieced and placed the rocks into a more solid trail base. They walked the walk to test for stability too.

The following day the remnants of Hurricane Barry dumped inches of rain on our area. It was torrential. I just had to go check on the trail work. Before I got to the bridge, I could hear the low roar of the rushing water. As I rounded the corner I could see that there was flooding upstream. The water was as high as the stones in the bridge. The overflow piled up and washed across the trail-but not over it, through it. The rocks stayed in place and allowed the flooding water to run through the porous layer and exit the other side, without washing away. It worked!

This is a great example of how community collaboration works. We are an organization of somewhat graying stewards, but with our experience and ideas, and ability to engage with students of all ages, we can get work done. We can teach the next generations of conservationists how important our work is and let them know how much we value their input and effort. Our Preserves will be in good hands when this next generation steps up.

Thank you to all who helped with this effort. I am sure all our hikers will be grateful.

A job well done.

As the water rose after the storms, it flowed through the rocks and didn't wash away the trail.

Photographs by Jon Mitchell, Phil Sheffield, and Beth Sullivan.

The power of water

By Beth Sullivan

Many of Avalonia’s trails are on properties that have some significant history. In so many areas we encounter huge oak trees, old stone walls, fence posts, and cart paths, all clues about the history of the land.

A stone span crosses the brook in a quieter season.

The brook in flood.

Historical preserve

Our Pequotsepos Brook Preserve is one of those. We have had several research projects done on the property that help explain the history of the land in that area. Some of this information is on our website for easy reading here.

The center of interest on this preserve, and in its history, is the Pequotsepos Brook that has its origins up the Quoquetaug Hill where waters emerge and gently flow downhill until they merge more completely at Jerry Browne Road and Coogan Boulevard. Of course those roads were not present generations ago. But Jerry Browne Road may have been a roadway considering some of the older homes and farms along the lane.

Through the course of history, the brook needed to be crossed for farm or commerce, and in these areas bridges were made by positioning huge flat stones over the stream bed, allowing the water to flow freely and allowing easy, dry passage. The stone bridges are in existence today, and the old paths remain as the basis for several pathways collectively referred to as the Stone Bridges Trail. The entire trail system contains three brook crossings over stone bridges and offers views of several other beautiful stone spans .

We have to assume that there have been big rain storms over the last century that these bridges were in existence. We know there have been hurricanes and other destructive storms, but through it all the paths and bridges remained intact.

Until recently. Is it a sign of the changing climate that the weather has been wetter or that the storms in the last months have been more intense rain events? Maybe it is because of increased development upstream where the landscape has lost its vegetative cover which used to slow the rain and absorb the water slowly and gently. Whatever is the cause, the intense rain storms have caused serious flooding along the brook and in one area in particular, have caused serious erosion of the trail. One of the most beautiful and exposed of the stone bridges has now had the trail on either end of it washed away. Left behind are exposed tree roots and only the largest of the rocks. The power of the water washed away soil, gravel and smaller rocks. The footing is tricky. We need to repair it and the challenge is bigger than I can manage.

Near the quarry rocks are exposed and creations have been built.

Old trees, stone walls, and fence posts hint of the history in this preserve.

These huge stones were placed to cross the brook and allow the water to flow easily. 

Trails Team goes to work

Enter the Avalonia Trails Team and some hard working Connecticut College Students. We had the area properly reviewed by our wetland commission chairperson to make sure we could work in the area. Then the Trails Team leader came in to assess, and together with others, we tossed around some ideas. We don’t want to cover up the old stones with a wooden bridge, but we need to stabilize the footing and still allow the water to flow through in flood situations.

There is also an old quarry on the property with an abundance of rocks available in all sizes, and many with lovely flat surfaces. That is another piece of interesting history. The challenge was transporting rocks from one place, to another via a very bumpy, uneven, and often muddy path. On Saturday April 13, ten students from the Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment at Connecticut College arrived to experience a day of real stewardship. Of course it had been raining hard the night before, and the brook itself was once again in raging flood stage. In a move referred to as adaptive management, we changed plans. We approached from another entrance, and for several hours the students moved rocks-lots of rocks. Down a long and muddy path. Delivered to the site now, they await the next stage. The Trails Team will work on the next phase: wrangling some of the bigger rocks out of the quarry and down to the main path to use as stabilizers and step stones.

This whole process is likely to take more than just a couple more work parties. In the end, we hope to have a stabilized trail for walking, as well as a way to allow flood waters to flow around or through it without washing it away each time it rains hard.

If you have an interest in history, if you enjoy team work and want to make a difference to preserving the trail (or others) and maintaining a lovely area for many, many hikers, give us a call. The Avalonia website describes the Trails Team and we can get you in touch with the leader.

Those giant bridge stones remained intact, but the surrounding area needs a hand. Let us know if you can offer one. At the very least, come out sometime and enjoy the trails and consider the history.

It was a team effort to load and haul the rocks.

The team from Connecticut College after several hours of rock moving.

Photographs by Beth Sullivan.

The Next Generation of Environmentalists

By Beth Sullivan

We have just wrapped up the fifth year of collaborations with the Connecticut College Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment. For each of these past years, a group of sophomore students applied to be in the special program dedicated to the environment. Their major fields can be wide and varied, but each of them somehow ties their focus to some aspect of environmental study. In the spring semester the center has been teaming up with Avalonia, and the students get some insight into land conservation work. Together we work to shape projects that are of interest to the students, some of whom may carry over the study through their senior year. In return, their goal is to deliver a project that in some way benefits Avalonia and supports our mission.

A work party provide the youth and energy needed to move rocks.

Many projects this year

This year the projects were varied, and in many ways focused on outreach. As an organization we are always looking for opportunities to get the word out about who we are and what we do. We also want to engage a younger age group. Over the last several months the student teams fine-tuned and then implemented their projects. This past week I attended their final presentations, and some of the results were outstanding. Those dealing with outreach and education were right on target.

Amelia, Delilah and Chloe did pure outreach. They did three events where they set up tables, engaged with the public-adults and children alike. They passed out Avalonia information, introduced people to Hike and Seek for families, and presented a bright fresh face to the public. They set up at Fiddleheads Food Co-op in New London, the Stonington Farmer’s Market, and did a really big Earth Day event sponsored by the Mystic Aquarium. When they did final reporting, they had collected nearly $100 in donations, got three new memberships on the spot, gave out applications for dozens more, and made hundreds of new friends for Avalonia . Best of all-they had fun.

At the Farmer's Market, the team got donations, recruited members, and made many friends for Avalonia.

It was great fun working with this team at eh Aquarium Earth Day out-reach event.

Ricardo and Emilio also did outreach but with a very unique spin. We discussed the need to reach out to other, more urban, communities where we may not have a physical presence, and invite children and families to freely explore Avalonia preserves and enjoy educational outdoor explorations. They joined with a group from New London’s Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School that has a connection at Connecticut College. They developed a scavenger hunt based on the model of Hike and Seek, and then took a group out into the Arboretum to explore. They followed up with a classroom session and gave informational materials to the students inviting them to explore Avalonia trails with their families. Great job fellows!

Ricardo introduced his group to the plan for the scavenger hunt.

Sydney and Sarah wanted to help us develop more educational signage for our preserves. They chose two properties with some very interesting historical significance. The Perry Natural Area has been the focus of student projects before. This time they documented the colonial families who owned the land and left their mark with foundations and in cemeteries. They also did significant research with a local team which has been exploring the Native American landmarks to be found in our area. Their signs for Perry will address both Colonial and Pre-colonial theories of usage. They also chose Pequotsepos Brook Preserve to document the Colonial ownership of the land and also to explore the extensive stone works, quarries, bridges, and walls to be found on the property. While the signs are still in the draft stage and need to go through edits and approvals, we are well on the way to adding to the educational experience of visitors to these areas.

Clean up efforts at Pequotsepos Brook netted an astounding number of beer bottles.

Jon and Nate chose to study and plan for the management of South Dumpling Island, an Avalonia holding in Long Island Sound. The island is subject to serious erosion and an invasion by Cormorants that have devastated the plant life. While they were unable to get transportation to the island, they hope to continue the project through the summer and see how their on-shore research will fit with what they find out there and see how their studies can help with possible restoration efforts.

On South Dumpling Island, the Cormorants have taken over and their excrement has burned the vegetation. 

Caroline and Ariane chose to explore an Avalonia Preserve from different viewpoints. Ariane studied the spread of Barberry as an invasive species and researched its effect on native populations. Caroline logged the mileage of the trail there and did a Go-pro video as she traveled them. If developed further, this could be a fun way to bring a virtual trail adventure to an online viewer.

Avalonia thanks the students for their time and enthusiasm. I always enjoy working with them. Each year we all learn a lot from our collaborations. The deliverables help Avalonia, and hopefully the students have learned that land conservancy efforts can be about so much more than just “Hugging Trees”.

Photographs by the students of the Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment.  

Making a Difference

By Beth Sullivan

This is the fifth year that the Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment at Connecticut College has collaborated with Avalonia to provide students with first hand knowledge of how a land trust functions and to give Avalonia some much needed energy, assistance and strength.

In past years, one student has taken over writing the blog for me, as part of an outreach project and to introduce the students. This year no one decided to take me up on that, so I will be writing a few of these entries to describe what some of the teams have chosen as their projects.

The frontage was overwhelmed by brush and litter.

Ricardo Olea and Emilio Pallares recognized that our outreach efforts, publications and web photos were lacking in diversity. We discussed several ways to remedy this, and their goal will be to engage diverse students from New London schools near the College, get them outside at the Arboretum, and get some great photos for us to use to be more inclusive. They will promote the new Hike and Seek program and encourage city kids to venture out onto Avalonia trails not far from town for education, fun and, adventure. As they work toward this goal, Ricardo told me about his unique campus group: MEChA ( explanation coming shortly) which needed some community service time and offered to spend a Saturday morning with me, working at a preserve of my choosing.

Invasives were impenetrable behind the wall.

Collier Preserve Clean-up

Great. I never turn down strong young helpers, and it would give me a chance to talk a bit more with Ricardo about his project. We chose the Marjorie Stanton Middleton Collier Preserve, near the top of Quoketaug Hill on Pequot Trail. Over the winter a dedicated volunteer has hacked away at vines strangling the trees and covering the walls. (Thanks Jim.) There was so much dead wood, and dense invasive growth and brush, that the roadside walls were barely visible, and the frontage was a mess. The preserve was donated to Avalonia by the Collier family, one of the founding families living up on the hill far back in Stonington history.

A break of cookies and juice, and a therapy dog, was welcomed.

Ann Collier, art of the donor family, last visited about four years ago.

On a blustery Saturday, six students, including Ricardo, showed up to help fix up the walls. While none of us were stone workers by any stretch, with muscle and some good tools and team work, they were able to get fallen rocks lifted back onto the walls. Over decades these rocks had tumbled, then become grown over and buried. Now they are back out where they belong. The brush along the road and in a nice broad swath behind the walls has been cut down. It is more open and appealing. Litter was picked up by the bag-full, and the area is already drawing positive comments from the neighbors.

Big, fallen rocks were placed back on the walls.

The right tool and a great team made all the difference.

But now about MEChA. As I talked with Ricardo and his friends, they explained that their group was comprised of students of similar ethnic backgrounds going back to indigenous people in Mexico, before Spanish influence. I was intrigued. I will quote Ricardo here as he described his group:

“Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán (MEChA) is a student organization that promotes higher education, culture, and history. Each word in MEChA symbolizes a great concept in terms of la causa (the cause). Movimiento means that the organization is dedicated to the movement to gain self-determination for our people. Estudiantil, identifies the organization as a student group for we are part of our Raza's future. At the heart of the name is the use of the identity: Chicanx. At first seen as a negative word, now taken for a badge of honor. In adopting their new identity, students committed themselves to return to the barrios, colonias, or campos and together, struggle against the forces that oppress our people. Lastly, the affirmation that we are Indigenous people to this land by placing our movement in Aztlán, the homeland of all peoples from Anahuak.

The term Anahuak is more of a general term often used interchangeably with Valley of Mexico , and both Aztec and Mayan civilizations fall under the umberalla of Anahuak. It is the core of ancient Mexico. This is generally where Mexico City is located today. Essentially, it is where the indigenous peoples of Mexico are said to have originated from.”

What a change!

I found it refreshing to meet and learn about a group of young people who take pride in their heritage. They set great examples for others too as they support the greater community and promote diversity and understanding. Thanks for all the muscle too.

Photographs by Beth Sullivan

Eager Beavers of Connecticut College’s Goodwin-Niering Center for the Environment

This week's post is written by Jessica Sullivan, a student at Connecticut College. Beth Sullivan (no relation) returns next week.

By Jessica Sullivan

As a sophomore at Connecticut College and one of the newest members of the Goodwin-Niering Center for the Environment (GNCE), I am incredibly excited about the opportunity I have to become more educated about and more involved with Avalonia Land Conservancy. This will be the fourth year that Goodwin-Niering students will be involved with Avalonia, and that is so great because our connection with the organization promotes the core value of Goodwin-Niering that is environmental stewardship. At the beginning of this spring semester, the sophomores of the Center had the opportunity to meet with some of the lovely ladies who help make Avalonia so great. It was inspirational to hear how much good can be done by volunteers who are motivated not by money, but by their passion for the environment and the preservation of nature that makes our world so beautiful. It is amazing how much they do with Avalonia, and hearing about the history of Avalonia gives me hope for the future of land conservation.

A room full of eager environmentally-minded GNCE scholars discuss important issues.

Avalonia preserves habitats for wildlife and also for aesthetics. 

Open House

Having just had the Goodwin-Niering Spring Open House, it was very exciting to hear about the environmentally focused projects that our seniors have completed or are completing this semester, ranging in topic from vegetarianism to the sustainability of the automobile industry and everything in between. It was also great to see the first year students already so invested in environmental preservation. However, as a sophomore, I still have two years until I will complete my own Senior Integrative Project. Still, that does not mean that I will not be involved with varying projects focused around the GNCE. Over the course of the next two months, the sophomore members of Goodwin-Niering will complete service projects for Avalonia. We are all very excited to be able to work with such a great organization. Personally, my project revolves around Avalonia’s blog and their social media accounts. In an age where the use of technology is so prevalent, I think that it is crucial that Avalonia keeps up with their social media presence, including Facebook, Instagram, and, of course, this blog: AvaloniaETrails. For the next month or so, I will be writing blog posts that cover the projects that the sophomores of Goodwin-Niering are working very hard to complete. These projects range from site work days on Avalonia preserves to educational school programs. Each sophomore is so excited to help Avalonia in some special way, because we are all so very much invested in environmental protection.

Senior GNCE scholars discuss the environmentally-focused projects they have completed.

These GNCE sophomores will be completing Avalonia service projects this semester.

Scholars Meeting

Every Thursday night, all the Goodwin-Niering scholars meet for a seminar where we discuss important environmental issues. The theme of this semester’s seminar is Environmental Aesthetics. I think that this theme coordinates very well with our work with Avalonia because although I have not been to an Avalonia site (yet!!) I have seen pictures that highlight the incredible beauty of nature. However, it is wonderful that Avalonia conserves land for not only aesthetic purposes, but also because they quite simply see an inherent value in nature. This is a subject that has come up a lot in our seminar which goes to show that there is a multitude of reasons that we should protect the environment. However, no matter what reason we choose to believe is the most important reason to promote environmental conservation, whether aesthetic or not, the point stands that nature must be protected.

A recent Thursday night seminar focused on the connection between nature and aesthetics.

Participating in work parties on Avalonia preserves provides energy and hands-on experience. 

Photographs by Beth Sullivan and Jessica Sullivan.

Connections and Hope for the Future

By Beth Sullivan

One of the most rewarding aspects of working with Avalonia as a town chair and steward, is the opportunities that arise to connect with other organizations and share strategies, ideas and energy.

Invasive plants were no match for this crew at Pequotsepos Brook Preserve.

Working with Trinity College

Over the last three years I worked with a professor and his ever-changing teams of students at Knox preserve as they studied the effect of invasive species on the ecosystem, and followed up as we eradicated and managed for restoration of a more native flora. Working with this team, and getting my brain turned on a bit to academics and science, was not only interesting but inspiring. The lead professor, Dr. Cameron Douglass is moving on to a new and permanent position in Washington DC with the EPA. His study on Knox is done. When his papers are completed and published, I will read them and file them, and hopefully future stewards will learn from them as well. We benefited from their presence; we have worked hard on restoring native species, have a greater understanding of the soils and conditions we are working with, and it was his team that designed and created the beautiful signs we now have on the preserve. Thank you to Trinity College. Maybe his replacement will come explore our area.

Our collaboration with Trinity College will be wrapping up.

Moving piles of invasives is a great way to burn off energy.

Working with Connecticut College

Now, in the spring semester, I am working with the Connecticut College Goodwin Neiring Center for the Environment and their class of very special students; another group of smart and enthusiastic young people wo are willing to share their ideas and energy with us for a few months. Sometimes their efforts have really long and far reaching results. In the past students tried stewardship projects, habitat work in the field, and plantings. But in the past two years we have been thwarted by snow and poor conditions in March and April for actual on-site projects. This year the students are working on outreach projects in several areas for Avalonia. We discussed that one of our organizational goals is to become more a part of the public awareness. People see our signs, but are not sure “what” we are or that we are an organization based on memberships. The students are reaching out in a number of ways. They will have a presence at local Farmers’ Markets with a setup promoting Avalonia and even focusing on Arbor Day, a good thing for a land trust. Another group will work with a local High School teacher in Stonington and her students in Ecology/Environmental Science classes, to explore how we can get younger students engaged in helping us. Many of us are getting a little older now! Other groups will focus on managing some social media outreach and doing a fund raising “Meet Avalonia” event. There may even be some guest writers of this blog, giving readers a different view, and me a break.

One team from Connecticut College is exploring the history of the Perry Natural Area.

When we work together, great things happen, like clearing this wall of invasive species.

We have already done walks to explore historic properties. More on that at a later time. And several work parties where the energy of the students truly matched, and over whelmed, the persistence of invasives on several sites

Watching the students study and work in the field, watching them think and be engaged, gives me such hope for the future, that these young people are going out into the world with an education and opportunity that was not available, for me, almost 40 years ago. With these young people, we will be in good hands.

Youth and energy from Marine Science Magnet School worked wonders at Dodge Paddock.

Photographs by Beth Sullivan and Marina Stuart.

Catch up time

By Beth Sullivan

This time of year is so amazing. With so much happening all at once, it is hard to know which way to turn to experience the changes. It certainly is nearly impossible to choose one thing to focus on, and sitting still and writing is not easy when there are trails to be walked, walls to clear, birds to observe, flowers to search for, and grass seed to plead with to grow! There are still domestic gardens to be planted, corners to be raked…everything needs attention.

May Apple is in bloom now.

In a nutshell, here is what has been happening:

We have thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated all the energy and efforts of the Connecticut College students. I hope you have enjoyed their “Guest Blogs”. The Goodwin Niering Center for the Environment has completed its third year with Avalonia as part of its service learning curriculum. We are all learning and benefitting from this collaboration. This year we had work parties, a children’s art project, historical documentation, new brochure design, and more. Each year we get inspired and encouraged by their enthusiasm and ideas, and they get some real life exposure to the efforts of managing an all volunteer land trust.

Cinnamon Fern Fiddleheads supply fuzzy fibers for Hummingbird's nests.

Student volunteers

Dodge Paddock has had the benefit of several work parties, both by Connecticut College and the Marine Science Magnet School. These students spent long hours raking, hauling debris, and moving and replacing stones along the walls. The area is being prepped for planting test plots which will occur in mid-June. We continue to receive assistance from multiple DEEP agencies to help us through the process of doing this project right as part of our LISFF Grant.

Dodge Paddock will be seeing a lot of activity in the next months.

At Knox Preserve, Trinity College studies have ramped up again. Areas are staked out for monitoring growth of weeds, natives, and invasives. All of this is part of a long term plan to assess response of the environment to removing invasive growth, and rebuilding native plant communities. We spread native grass seed over nearly an acre of prepared soil, then waited while the forecasts of rain simply dried up. After a little bit of recent rain, we are seeing signs of green blades emerging among the weeds.

Meadows are greening up...

but beware of the already abundant Poison Ivy.

Knox bird populations

Over decades, we have studied changes in the bird populations at Knox through migratory banding programs, and a new group is now observing breeding birds in the area. They will continue to watch trends that may correspond to improved plant resources and management techniques. All this activity has not bothered the Purple Martins that are back in the gourd houses. They are most active early in the morning when they sing and emerge for the day. It's certainly worth a trip to listen to them. A recent nest check has confirmed we have eggs in two nests already and several more being built. The Tree Swallows are occupying most of the wooden bird houses, but I continue to battle with House Sparrows, who are ruthless in their efforts to take over.

The Purple Martins at Knox Preserve have eggs in two nests, with more on the way.

We are making up for lost time from the winter, but all in good time. While we do these “chores,” we can enjoy listening for the returning birds or stumbling across a hidden Lady’s Slipper flower.

Time to begin trail maintenance.

Please take the time to go slow and enjoy this fleeting season.

Photographs by Beth Sullivan.

Spring Cleaning at Knox Preserve

By Marissa Gildea and Julia Serafin

On Sunday, April 12th, twelve members of the Connecticut College community volunteered at Knox Preserve in Stonington. Over the last couple of weeks we have been working to organize this work day and it was both exciting and rewarding to see that our efforts had fallen into place. One of the major worries of organizing this endeavor was finding the bodies needed to make the work day successful. Therefore, we reached out to members of Her Campus and the Women’s Rowing Team, and there we found our volunteers! This group was the perfect size to accomplish the task that Beth and Binti had in store for us.

Our wonderful volunteers.

At Knox, there were numerous brush piles that were already gathered on the sides of the trails. Working together, we moved these piles from the narrow paths to a more accessible area. This allowed truck access to take the brush away. Surprisingly, we finished this task quicker than we had anticipated. As a result, we went deeper through the trails and removed our own brush… especially making sure to avoid poison ivy! One of our volunteers, Natalie Calhoun GNCE Student ‘16, took on the role of removing and untangling the vines that were suffocating the trees. The site visit would not have been complete without exploration on our own. If you are familiar with Knox then you would probably know of the large rocks hidden in the paths. From this setting there was a breathtaking view out over the water. It was here that we even spotted an osprey nest! Overall, we really lucked out with the weather being on our side, and it was a great effort made by all!

Brush was piled high.

The Osprey nest at Knox Preserve.

Volunteers pull together

Arriving at the preserve, it was amazing to see that there was already a group of volunteers hard at work. As soon as we stepped onto the preserve, there was a clear sense of community that could not be ignored. Beth explained to us that a lot of the neighbors to the preserves dedicate their time and efforts there. Overall, the outcome of our work from just a short period of time at the preserve was unbelievable. Therefore, it is necessary that more members of the community reach out and set aside time to work with Avalonia, because as we saw this past day, a little can go a long way.

How many trips did that wheelbarrow make?

More happy volunteers.

This work day was the first time that we had the opportunity to actually visit one of Avalonia’s sites. Knox’s remote location near the water was a hidden gem that we were fortunate to find. This preserve is a great location to bring the kids and the dog or even to escape and take some time for yourself. If you have not already visited, then put Knox on your list of things to do. We definitely will be visiting Knox in the future!

Vines choking a tree.

Photographs by Avalonia volunteers.