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stacy mccline
Win This Firewood!
Win This Firewood!
Suz
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Project Update
Suz
Project Update: Del Dios Park
Project Update: Del Dios Park
Firewood, GSOB, Pest Control
Suz
Why you shouldn't move oak firewood
Why you shouldn't move oak firewood

Project Update

April & May Work Parties

Planting parties included the Eco rotarians (4/30) and Girl Scout Troop 4016 (5/15).

We hosted a successful Creek to Bay Cleanup where 40 volunteers picked up trash on 4 miles of trails and shoreline, and spread mulch around oak trees in Del Dios Park. 

The latest report on the numbers show that the Creek to Bay Cleanup was a huge success! During the 3-hour event, more than 6,400 volunteers removed 170,000 lbs. of litter from the 110 cleanup sites. WOW! A big thanks goes out to ILACSD for organizing the event.

 

 

Project Update: April

This spring our focus is on planting more natives and managing weeds. Our planted natives are coming in strong and growing fast, and loving the March rains. Most of the restoration area directly west of Del Dios Park is planted, with upwards of 300 native plantings. To complement our efforts, seedlings are emerging from the soil seedbank, including oaks, mugwort, deer weed, dove weed, lupines, poppies and 3 different kinds of heliotrope and many more. Del Dios Park is also sprouting volunteer native grasses. Salt grass and purple needle grass are volunteering to cover the ground in the open areas. 
 

The purple needle grass grows in "tufts". This photo shows 4-5, with a few close together in the center and two smaller ones toward the left. The purple coloring is in the seed (see next image).

Seeds of the purple needle grass.

A volunteer oak seedling.

Oak Tree Health: A Project in Progress

Loading up the compost tea. Thanks, Stan!

Loading up the compost tea. Thanks, Stan!

A regimen of a vermiculture compost probiotic brew has been applied to the soil for a few of the oak trees as an experiment to improve oak tree health.

Compost tea made from worm castings ("worm tea") is loaded with micro-organisms and nutrients. Typical results from applying this tea include enhanced plant growth and imporovement in root growth and structure. Oak trees were selected for this project based on signs of visible stress (thinning canopy, beetle damage, etc.) and marked with a blue tag.

By May, we may be seeing results, as compared to the untreated trees in the vicinity. We will post more information and photos as the project progresses.

 

 

 

Project Update: Del Dios Park

The Del Dios Community Park is looking especially beautiful this season!

Our fearless leader has been diligent in her efforts, keeping the weeds in check and spreading mulch. She's even been known to put together a work crew in a matter of days, just to eradicate new weeds & invasives before they set seed.

Click on images to enlarge.