2016 Report for Friends Of Farmington Canal

Year

2016

Number of volunteers

70

Total volunteer hours

262

Number of events

10

Number of trees planted

0

Number of shrubs planted

46

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Greenspace and Urban Oasis, combined Species (Urban Oasis): Eastern Red Cedar (small tree in five-gallon container), Yucca, Ninebark, false spirea, Mountain laurel, Witch hazel, ‘Heavy Metal’ ornamental grass Species (Greenspace): Dwarf zebra grass, fountain grass

Number of perennials planted

119

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Greenspace and Urban Oasis, combined Species: Agastache, Baptisia, Helianthus, coreopsis, Euphorbia, Gallardia, Aster, (and others) Species (Greenspace): hosta, daylily, sedum (‘Autumn Joy’), variegated liriope, Russian sage, coreopsis

Yards compost spread

2.00

Yards mulch spread

4.00

Summary

The “Learning Corridor” is a section of park along the Farmington Canal Trail being transformed through partnerships between Doreen Abubakar (the visionary of the Learning Corridor), the Friends of the Farmington Canal Trail, URI, and – as of this year – the Connecticut Audubon Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, i.e. the Urban Oasis partners. This year, the group completed its third year as a Greenspace and persevered through its first season as an Urban Oasis. The Learning Corridor now features a stretch of native plants along the fence far fence line, in addition to several perennial beds from previous years. The group began the summer by planting more perennials around the pillars at the Hazel Street entrance to the Canal Trail and in the triangle bed at the corner of Shelton and Hazel. For the remaining six weeks, the group turned its attention to preparing the ground and ultimately planting a vast array of native perennials and shrubs. With the help of seven student employees from Common Ground High School, the Urban Oasis gradually came to life.