Stewards of Kleinstuck

On Sunday, November 14, 2010, a small group of volunteers took to the high

ground to cut out invasives near the "overlook bench".

5 volunteers worked in the south end of 5B clearing Norway maples and a

variety of exotic shrubs and small trees. I did the herbicide work dribbling

glyphosate on the cut stumps while Jacquelyn T., Jack S., Heather R., and

Mike (enthusiastic new guy - an optometrist who lives on Duchess) did most

of the cutting and hauling.  Mike plans to be back next workday with his

wife.

The men-folk enjoyed playing lumberjack dropping several 3-6" diameter

maples.  We added to existing piles rather than starting new ones.  The pile

next to the concrete pad has grown to a substantial 10-15' high and is

equally wide.  Jacquelyn did a nice job "cleaning up" some of the previously

cleared portions of 5B, gathering coarse woody debris and making the place

look cared for.

There are still some maples and exotic shrubs to clear on the down-slope

from 5B towards 6A.  We also found the western portion of 5A could use some

attention, from the crest of the hill down toward the junction of the main

trail and YMCA entrance trail.  There were some sizeable common buckthorns

and winged wahoos that seemed to have survived in the margins between SoK

and Eagle Scout management.

Paul's privet treatment from long ago (on top of the hill by the bench in

5B) looks like a great success.  The treated knee-high thicket of privets

was quite dead and I stomped some of the dead twigs down to encourage

decomposition.  The untreated area still had some foliage and the line

between treated and untreated is striking.

Pretty much the only leaves remaining on the trees these days are Norway

maples and exotic shrubs.  The bench overlook offers nice views of the marsh

and the ducks dabbling below.

Respectfully submitted,

Nate Fuller