On this Thanksgiving, we at the BFS give thanks for all our wonderful volunteers! The BFS is so much better because of your efforts!
For November, the BFS volunteers were planting and clearing….
November 5 – Planting:
Back last January, Antonio Sanchez, the Nursery Production Manager, at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden (RSABG), helped us make and root cuttings from BFS plants so we could have plants from the indigenous genetic stock for restoration of disturbed areas.
By this fall, the propagated plants we big enough to plant out, and on our first November workday, volunteers planted them on the “mounds” on the west side of the BFS ‘Neck’, adjacent to the RSABG greenhouses. We’re not sure of the history of this area, but it’s clearly disturbed and has mostly supported growth of invasive, non-native mustards and star thistles. Repeated weed removal has reduced the non-natives, so it was time try to get some natives established.
White flags mark the newly planted plants. ©Nancy Hamlett
A newly planted White Sage (Salvia apiana). ©Nancy Hamlett
November 19 – Trail clearing:
On our second November workday, thirty-nine volunteers – our largest contingent ever – cleared the overgrown trails around pHake Lake and from the drive to the southeast corner of the lake, so that classes and researchers can access the lake easily. They also removed some invasive Mexican Fan Palms (Washingtonia robusta) that have sprouted up around the lake.
We are especially grateful to students from Pitzer College, Citrus College, and the Environmental Club and Key Club of Claremont High School for making this workday a big success! We also owe a big “Thank you!” to Sue Schenk, Mike Tschudi, Dick Haskell, and Al and Gloria Cangahuala for helping to supervise work crews. Here are a few photos of the workers and their work:
Many hands make light work. ©Nancy Hamlett
Well, that’s one less sagebrush in the middle of the trail! ©Nancy Hamlett
Now how do we get this pesky palm out of here? ©Nancy Hamlett
Trail on the west side of the lake. Left: Before. Right: After. ©Nancy Hamlett
Trail on the east side of the lake. Left: Before. Right: After. ©Nancy Hamlett
Southeast corner of the trail. Left: Before. Right: After. ©Nancy Hamlett