Events
Thistle Site - April 28, 2007 EarthCorps Work Party
Report submitted by Kirsten Rohrbach, Creek Steward
A successful 4th Saturday work party was held on April 28! EarthCorps directed the day’s activities, which were carried out by about 30 enthusiastic volunteers drawn from the service group Global Visionaries, a UW Service Learning class, and the general community.
Volunteers were divided into four teams, and several problem areas of the park were addressed. One team removed blackberry from around conifers in the meadow area, creating “survival rings” around these evergreens. Another team continued weeding and sheet mulching the meadow area near the trail entrance, in preparation for planting it in the fall. A third group finished sheet mulching the Earth Day planting, then joined the fourth team hard at work removing field bindweed from a King Conservation District wetland planting along the creek. The sunshine contributed to a mellow, relaxed mood, even as a huge amount of work was getting done. Thank you to all our volunteers!
Click on photos for a larger view.
 EarthCorps Volunteer Coordinator Andrea Penglase prepares volunteers for working at the trail entrance. |
 Photo showing the difference in weed density between the sheet mulched area and the area currently being weeded. |
 This was Andrea's last work party at Thistle Street. We will miss her! |
 A volunteer carries a load of mulch along the Legacy Trail. |
 EarthCorps Project Manager Elizabeth White gives a native plant walk to volunteers. |
 Wood chips help keep in moisture, suppress weed, and add nutrients to the soil. |
 Volunteers brave stinging nettle to remove bindweed from native vegetation! |
 EarthCorps intern Tamara Montes of Bolivia led the bindweed team. |
 The enemy (bindweed) on April 28. |
The enemy in May |
Field bindweed near trail south bridge. |
Want to know more about EarthCorps? Visit their Web site.