F2.4.3 Workzone report

Workzone F2.4.3 Report
Updated 12/14/2023

Summary

While not a priority in terms of plant diversity, this workzone has high visibility and receives a lot of foot traffic due to its proximity to the parking lot and shelter. Trash has a tendency to accumulate as it is blown in from the overflowing dumpsters. Trouble spots include a dense thicket of buckthorn mixed with dogwood, and a tangled mess of oriental bittersweet climbing over honeysuckle. The dense overgrowth offers secluded spots which may be a public safety concern. Removing brush to open up the area will alleviate this problem and make trash cleanup easier. Workzone is home to several large eastern red cedars, honeylocusts and a stand of trembling aspen. Gray and silky dogwood are the dominate native shrubs, with one or two elderberries to be found. Forb diversity is lacking, although there some blackeyed susans and thimbleweed. Target for brush clearing is by Mar 2024.

Brush Control

Teasel Control

Weed Control

Brush Piles

New Species

Map

Current Objectives

Objective	Season	Hrs	Total
Burn all brush from area (2-3 workdays)	J F M A M J J A S O N D	-	-

Finish cutting the brush from workzone	J F M A M J J A S O N D	10:30	33:30
2023-12-02 Made more progress cutting remaining brush. Mostly buckthorn, autumn olive and honeysuckle.
Finish cutting the brush from workzone	J F M A M J J A S O N D	10:30	33:30
2023-10-29 Had scout in attendance, so decided to keep things simple and focus on larger honeysuckle and autumn olive. Target area is where bittersweet was cut back in spring.
Cut/treat bittersweet in fall- Step 2	J F M A M J J A S O N D	1:30	23:00
2023-10-28 Returned to pull and cut more of the bittersweet vine. Some of the vine was fruiting, but much less than prior years.
Enrich area with savanna seedmix	J F M A M J J A S O N D	0:15	23:00
2023-09-24 Broadcast seed for Joe-pye weed and Elymus grasses in areas were buckthorn was cut in 2022.
Cut bittersweet vine in early spring - Step 1	J F M A M J J A S O N D	6:15	21:15
2023-04-15 Cutting and pulling bittersweet vine and grape. To improve access for herbicide treatment later in the year, some of the honeysuckle was cutback with expectation of resprouting.
Brush Cleanup / Form Piles	J F M A M J J A S O N D	7:30	21:15
2023-04-15 Formed new brush pile on old scar, and moved brush nearby to serve as feeder piles. At least two winter workdays need to burn current brush.
Perform herbaceous plant survey	J F M A M J J A S O N D	-	-

Burn brush pile x1	J F M A M J J A S O N D	7:30	7:30
2023-02-18 One pile ignited, nearby brush removed. Started to relocate brush closer to burn location.

Previous Objectives

Objective	Season	Hrs	Total
2022
Brush Clearing / Increase Visibilty	J F M A M J J A S O N D	19:30	35:15
2023-03-18 Cut the buckthorn and honeysuckle underneath the trees by trail - left the dogwoods and crabapples, and the one viburnum - looks like nannyberry but need to verify. Continued cutting buckthorn around the cedars.
Brush Clearing / Increase Visibilty	J F M A M J J A S O N D	19:30	35:15
2023-03-04 Cut more of the buckthorn along south edge of F2.4.3 and thinned some of the cedars
Brush Clearing / Increase Visibilty	J F M A M J J A S O N D	19:30	35:15
2023-02-19 Continued cutting buckthorn and relocating brush to burn scar. Will construct new pile in March/April.
Broadcast Harvested Seed - Monarda, Ratibida	J F M A M J J A S O N D	0:00	15:45

Clean Up Trash	J F M A M J J A S O N D	1:30	15:45

Brush clearing	J F M A M J J A S O N D	8:30	14:15
2022-04-10 Returned to workzone F2.4.3 to continue collecting brush. Stacked brush near trail head will need to be moved to a burn-pile. Took a walk around the preserve. Chorus frogs singing at 5 locations, and a leopard frog heard at pond in north east corner. Hepaticas in F2 were in full bloom.
Brush clearing	J F M A M J J A S O N D	8:30	14:15
2022-04-03 Returned to workzone F2.4.3 to continue work. Half the time spent picking up trash that had accumulated over the years; proximity to dumpster means it's a collection point for litter blown by the wind. Cut buckthorn in order to access trash, and improve future cleanup efforts. Finished day by performing a quick survey of the trees/shrubs in the workzone.
Brush clearing	J F M A M J J A S O N D	8:30	14:15
2022-04-02 Cleaning up workzone F2.4.3 by moving previously cut brush into to burn-piles. Currently two piles to burn.
Brush clearing	J F M A M J J A S O N D	8:30	14:15
2022-02-12 With deeper snow, stayed close to the parking lot and focused on clearing brush from workzone F2.4.3. Had started work in here in late summer.
2021
Clear invasive brush	J F M A M J J A S O N D	3:30	5:45
2021-07-02 Began opening up a secluded area near the parking lot. Mix of grass and sedges, along with Anemone virginiana and Rudbeckia hirta. Oriental bittersweet is problem in the area.
2017
Oriental Bittersweet Control	J F M A M J J A S O N D	2:15	2:15

Native Flora

Adventive/Introduced Flora

Photo Gallery

Workzone F2.4.3 ReportUpdated 12/14/2023

Workzone F2.4.3 Report
Updated 12/14/2023