July Volunteer Work Days in South Mountain Reservation

July
Volunteer Work Days in South Mountain Reservation!

There's nothing like the feeling of giving back to the places you love.

Trail Work Crew Volunteer Work Day
Sunday, July 10th, 9am-12pm
Meet at: Mayapple Hill Parking Lot off of Northfield Ave, West Orange.

Trail Work is very satisfying but strenuous as we use hand tools to construct hiking trails. This month, we will start building the Lenape Bypass near Mayapple Hill. Participants must be 15 years or older; below 18, a parent’s signature on the liability waiver form is needed. Meet at the Mayapple Hill parking lot. Wear sturdy shoes and long pants and bring water. We supply the tools and snacks.

Registration is not required for this program.

For information, contact Program Coordinators John Verzani & Dennis Percher at trailwork@somocon.org

What is the Trail Work Crew?

The Trail Work Crew was created to establish a sustainable trail system in response to the high usage of the park. Many of the existing trails in the Reservation are not “sustainable trails,” meaning that they are eroded from ineffective water dispersion or high-volume use. Such trails require a much higher degree of maintenance than a sustainable trail.

Developing and maintaining a complete system of sustainable trails means replacing some older trails, fixing existing ones, and creating new offshoots to allow users to enjoy more of the Reservation’s remarkable landscape.

There are 50+ miles of hiking trails in the South Mountain Reservation are a work in progress.

Forest Regeneration Volunteer Work Day
Sunday, July 17th, 9am-12pm
Meet at: The Dog Park, 11 Bear Lane, Maplewood.

Forest Regeneration activities focus on the areas in and around the fenced 14-acre Forest and Wildflower Preserve located near the Dog Park in the Reservation. This workday we will focus on removing invasive plants like knotweed and mugwort. Ages 12 to 15 are welcome with a parent or guardian present. Ages 15 and above require a signature of a parent or guardian on a liability waiver; teenagers cannot just be dropped off.

Please dress appropriately! Wear long pants, closed toe shoes or rain boots, bug spray, and layer as needed. We supply gloves and water.

Registration is not required for this program.

For information, contact Program Coordinator Christy Zolty at forestregen@somocon.org

What is the Forest Regeneration Corps?

The Forest Regeneration Corps is a group of volunteers and paid summer interns that maintain and enhance the flora and infrastructure of the 14-acre Wildflower and Forest Preserve and many of the 41 smaller regeneration sites distributed throughout the Reservation.

Each year, the Forest Regeneration Corps works to restore the 14-acre preserve (located behind the Dog Park) by removing invasive plant species and planting native species. Individual volunteers, community, corporate, and environmental groups have all volunteered. For more than a decade these groups have contributed thousands of hours to maintain the Preserve and other forest regeneration sites as part of our Adopt-a-Regeneration-Site program.

The 14-acre Wildflower and Forest Preserve and other smaller regeneration sites, were constructed in 2008 as part of a 20 year program to restore the understory and ecology of the South Mountain Reservation, by protecting native plants from being over browsed by the high deer populations. In addition to its role in forest restoration, the Preserve serves as a destination to educate and engage people of all ages. With a simple trail system; informative signage regarding woodland, vernal pond, and meadow ecosystems; information on various trees and shrubs; and artwork from the Wildflower Sculpture Park, the Wildflower and Forest Preserve is a special destination in the park.

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