Garlic Mustard Pulling Party!

WHEN: Monday May 23, 2011 – 4:00 pm until around 6 or so (please come for any or all of that time!)

WHERE: UVLT offices at 19 Buck Road, Hanover – forces will depart from here and intersect the enemy encroaching into the Mink Brook preserve…

WHY: Garlic mustard is a terrible invader of roadsides and forest floors, and the infestation at Buck Road is one of the most entrenched in Hanover. Garlic mustard displaces all other native species, kills beneficial fungi in the soil that trees rely on for effective growth, is distasteful to native herbivores, so it takes over quickly and completely if not controlled! Come help with this effort and you will quickly learn how to ID the plant and find it in other places (this is one of the best ways to stay on top of the threat and prevent small start-up colonies from ever getting established)! This particular invasive plant is still in fairly isolated spots in our area, so active management can and will make a difference.

WHO: YOU! And as many recruits as you can find to join UVLT staff for an all-out war (for an afternoon, outdoors in the sun, which will even be fun)! We would love to hit this population of garlic mustard hard so that its control is more manageable down the road (on-going efforts will have to be made to future sprouts from setting seed, but NOW is the time to take out a lot of it!)

A few other details: Wear clothes appropriate for working outside – bring water bottles especially if it is warm (we hope!). This plant is pretty straightforward to hand-pull, so you can bring gloves if you’d like, but it isn’t really necessary if you don’t mind getting a bit dirty (who minds getting dirty?).

Added Bonus: Everyone who shows up to help out will be entered into a PRIZE drawing to be held at the party’s conclusion!