This week, we prepared the second planting bed next to the boardwalk ramp. Our numbers were small but mighty, and we removed five full wheelbarrows of grass turf and used the debris to build "donuts" around young trees to protect them from lawn mower damage. Next week, we intend to plant and mulch the boardwalk ramp beds.
07/12/2017
This week, the Fort Hale Park group removed grass turf and lay down topsoil in preparation for creating another plant bed. The group's plan is to frame the entrance to the park's boardwalk with native shrubs and flowering perennial plants! The crew also lay plenty of wood chips down around newly-planted trees in order to keep them moist, ward off weeds, and protect them from accidental lawn-mower damage.
06/28/2017
Today, I (Caro) was out sick, so Colleen pinch hit for me at Fort Hale Park. The group removed a dead crab apple tree and planted a beautiful white oak in its place. They did some rehab on another crab apple tree that wasn't looking so good, pruning off dead branches and adding extra mulch around the base to fend off lawn mowers.
Finally, the group planted two eastern red cedar trees along the fence bordering the US Coast Guard Station. The current screen of Australian pine is in bad shape due to an infestation of pine park beetle. The native cedar trees, which are immune to the beetle, will hopefully some day grow to take the dying pine trees' place.