Scott Little
Parks Conservancy
??
??
I have always been fascinated by nature, and so for my PACT project I immediately thought of going outdoors and helping the environment. This lead me to finding the organization Parks Conservancy. The primary goal of this organization is to restore local areas to their natural state by removing invasive species and planting local species, thus preserving the national parks for generations to come. Henry Fortenbaugh and I contributed to this on our third visit by volunteering at Milagra Ridge in San Mateo County. Here, we began by removing pine tree saplings, as the the pine is not native to Milagra Ridge. This involved de-rooting the smallest ones, and using hand saws to cut the slightly larger ones. It was really important to get rid of the pines because as they grow, they release nettles that cover the surrounding ground and prevent other species from growing. So not only do they take up space and out compete other plants, they also prevent the growth of native species by other means.
Next, we started removing the mustard plants, who are another invasive species that prevent native species from growing by taking up available space. We removed these using small pickaxes to loosen the roots, and then pulling the plants out of the ground. At the end of the volunteering event, I was able to learn more about the plants that are native to the area that I live in, and also was educated on how dangerous invasive species can be to our fragile ecosystem. Helping to restore the area I live in to its natural state gave me a sense of pride because I was helping make the environment a better place for not just me, but for many others to enjoy.
No comments:
Post a Comment