Bowers Cleanup Plan September 2019

Focus of the Work Party – clearing invasives at Bowers Springs (Bittersweet, Poison Ivy, Multiflora Rose, Grapevines)

Guidelines:

• Climbing vines (mostly Bittersweet and Grapes)
  • Cut climbing vines at shoulder height
  • Pull down the upper vines where practical (otherwise wait till next year when they’ve died off)
  • Hand-pull or mulch (with mower or brush-hog) lower vines in place
  • If bittersweet is showing berries, cut the berry-bearing branches and bag for disposal. This applies to all areas with bittersweet.
• Brush along trails
  • Use brush-hog, lawn mower, string-trimmer or DR to trim the encroaching growth 1-2 feet either side of the path unless there are special plants in the area e.g., orchids, etc.
  • If there are mature trees within 10 feet of the trail, OK to clear brush and saplings out to the mature trees — especially if there’s a meadow behind them
  • Clear a 2-4 foot “donut” area around the trunk to prevent the return of climbing vines
• Mature trees in meadows
  • Cut any climbing vines at shoulder height and pull down what you can
  • OK to cut branches from the mature tree head-height or below – if they are providing access to the upper-story to vines below. Cuts should be clean and flush with the trunk. Best to check with Rebecca or me before taking a cut that has not yet been flagged.
  • Clear a “donut” area on the ground from the trunk all the way to the outer edge of the lower branches to prevent access by climbing vines. This cleared area should connect with the Meadow areas being cleared by machine (Jim Henderson).
• Juniper and other mature bushes in the meadows
  • Clear everything within 5 feet except the subject bush itself
• For all materials to be removed
  • Gather cut materials into piles within 15 feet of the nearest cart path so that they can be consolidated by machine for composting
  • Bittersweet-containing berries should be bagged separately and will be disposed of off-site.

Areas to be addressed in this Episode:

1. The wall along Flanagan Rd.
   • Clear the area outside the wall and 2 feet inside the wall of all vegetation except grass, etc.
2. Edges of parking lot
   • Clear all brush, vines, saplings and bushes within 5 feet of the paved area, leaving only mature trees in that strip. Same is true for the meadow-facing side of the lot.
   • Don’t clear any further than 5 feet into the wetland area between the parking lot and the wall  
   • Clear a 5 foot strip on each side of the entry and exit driveways.  
3. Cart-path and Allee from the parking lot to the intersection by the North Meadow cart path, and then continuing straight down the hill to the upper pond.
   • Cut the flagged branches on the mature trees to deny climbing vines access to the tree and to facilitate tractor mowing of the area
     • Cut branches flush with the trunk (some may need 2 cuts to get it right)
     • Cut climbing vines and pull down what you can. See comments above on bittersweet that is showing berries.
     • Mow or weed-whack the surface brush under the trees from the road out to the meadow.
     • For areas with mature trees within 10-15 feet of the trail, mow the brush between the trail and the tree-line to suppress climbing vines.
     • Multiflora rose needs aggressive cutting of main branches to ground level and root-pulling if possible.
4. Path north across the upper side of upper pond (with the new foot-bridge made by TDNC kids 2 years ago)
   • Mow or string-trim shoulders (2 feet on each side) for clear access and to hold back PI
   • In by the footbridge, pull and/or cut back any plants encroaching on the path.
5. Path west out to Bear Hill Rd and the monster culvert bridge made by Eagle Scouts.
   • Mow or string-trim shoulders (2 feet on each side) for clear access and to hold back PI
   • Remove leaning blowdown across path a few hundred yards in (if practical)
6. Cart path north between upper and lower pond (past the peninsula where we had the al fresco dinner a few years ago).
   • Mow shoulders as above
   • Cut and pull vines as needed, bag bittersweet if bearing berries
7. Path north around the lower pond (past the 2 beaches and the Beaver Deceiver)
   • Same instruction as above regarding climbing vines and 5-foot buffer from the sides of the trail to mature trees.
   • This trail will be getting an application of loam-tailings this fall to cover the worn sections riddled with exposed tree roots. Traffic has wandered toward the pond shore as the main path has become uncomfortably bumpy, and we need to draw this traffic back toward the wooded side
     • Test application of tailings is on site and ready to be raked in
     • Path is to be redirected to the woods-side of the current extra-wide path area using downed timber as edging and to hold the tailings in place. One task for this work party will be to install the timbers to define the new preferred way through.
8. Paths (2) up either side of the north meadow
   • Mow or string-trim shoulders as above
   • Cut and pull vines and clear a “donut” around each of the stand-alone mature trees — the climbing tree is an example except it’s only ¾ done). Same with decorative bushes (mostly junipers) along the trail.