Laserfiche WebLink
If the PTRC and/or City Council do not trust me to monitor the burning of brush piles, then I would <br />recommend that the city consider hiring a contractor to do the burning. <br /> <br />Seeding <br /> <br />As shown in the image on page 5, the Chatham volunteers and I seeded some grasses, sedges and forbs <br />in some of the areas that have already been cleared. This should hopefully start the process of revegeta- <br />tion with a diverse mix of species. However, the donated seed was not nearly enough to cover the ground <br />at a density which could compete with the buckthorn seedlings. I would recommend that the city pay for a <br />cover crop to be planted in the spring, just prior to the next goat browsing. There are two options: <br /> 1. Seed the full 5.6 acres where the goats graze with a mix of shade-tolerant grasses such as <br />Virginia Wild Rye (~$12/lb.) and Bottlebrush Grass (~$125/lb.) <br />2. Only seed the areas where the buckthorn has been removed using a mix of partial-shade grasses <br />such as Canada Wild Rye (~$15/lb.) <br /> In either case, I think it is important for us to test different seeding rates in different plots and how they <br />affect buckthorn density to help guide future restoration decisions. <br /> <br />Planting <br /> <br />In addition to the seeding that was done already, I <br />have saved some seed that I will be growing at <br />home. Those plants can be transplanted into <br />Chatham in summer or fall of 2024, after the site is <br />sufficiently prepared. <br /> <br />There are currently ~500’ along the edge of the <br />wetland where the buckthorn has mostly been <br />removed. However, there appears to be Reed <br />Canary Grass (an invasive species) growing there. I <br />would like to use an aquatic-safe herbicide to spray <br />the grasses growing in those areas, any shoreline <br />that is opened up with additional buckthorn removal, <br />and possibly the smaller western arm of the wet <br />meadow (where the cattails are less dense and grass is more dominant). <br /> <br /> <br />