2019 Accomplishments

Another banner year is in the books for forest regeneration and promoting the health of the forest:

  • Planted around 300 trees and 250 shrubs & plants, and seeded at least an acre (inside and outside of the Preserve)
  • Effective summer intern program. Nathaniel Karaban and Will Jayne cleared the meadow of mugwort, worked on the pond area, the knotweed project, created zone assessment and educational walk.
  • Repaired fences of two large deer exclosures and removed the invasives.
  • Removed around 60% of the plastic tarps (approx. 20,000 sq. ft.) from the knotweed project and seeded those areas.
  • Hosted several large corporate groups from Goldman Sachs and Jersey Cares, and several groups from the Girl Scouts
  • Bio-Blitz showed that deer exclosures are having a positive impact on plant diversity in the Reservation.
  • Created the elite Invasives Strike Team during dormant months (November to early March) that killed many hundreds of Aralia, Barberry and Multiflora Rose.

2020 Plans

  • Plant, as in 2019, around 300 trees and 250 shrubs & plants, including our second Arbor Day tree planting at the end of April
  • Finish removing the plastic tarp and replanting for Knotweed Project
  • Continue with two summer, part-time internships.
  • Begin to work on other exclosures, repairing them in the summer and surveying what is growing in them, then removing invasives in the fall and winter.
  • Promote and support the Adopt a Regeneration Site program.
  • Keep the Strike Team going and getting more members.
  • Expand our education on invasive species and how to best deal with them.
  • Learn how to gather our own seed stock from the plants we have in the Preserve, and spread these to other exclosures.

Adopt a Regeneration Site Community Program

Community groups are encouraged to take on maintenance of one of the 41 forest regeneration sites in the reservation to spur forest restoration.  The roles and responsibilities are:

  • SMC provides basic instruction, references and tools, ongoing consultation and some plants to install.
  • Remove invasive species and plant new native ones at one of the 41 SMR regeneration sites.
  • Community groups are expected to work in the regeneration site at least every two months, March through December, and provide status reports.
  • Work and status report expected about every two months, March through December.

Contact forestregen@somocon.org for more information.