A Shout Out to November Service Project Volunteers!
On Nov. 16th, Wolf River Conservancy and about 30 volunteers from International Paper and ALSAC planted over 150 trees. These trees were potted earlier this year at our Annual Tree Planting event in March. Five native tree species were selected to beautify and reforest wetland areas on Wolf River Conservancy’s Epping Way property in Raleigh. Despite the very muddy conditions from the melting snow, the volunteers skillfully and efficiently planted the trees with smiles on their faces.
The next day during the Saturday Service Project on Nov. 17th, student volunteers from Rise Academy and University of Memphis joined forces with other community volunteers to plant 50 native Chickasaw Plum trees in two rows. This planting will create a hedge of native fruiting trees coveted by wildlife. Volunteers then removed a few large specimens of non-native invasive Bradford Pear trees which have become a thorny menace, seeding into young woods, fencerows, and into fields. This fast-growing tree can dominate a site and prevent native oaks, hickories, and associated trees from reaching maturity, eventually leading to a decrease in biodiversity.
Finally, Eagle Scout Will Lamb successfully completed an Eagle Scout project for the Wolf River Conservancy at Springdale Elementary School on Nov. 8th. Will organized a group of Boy Scouts to build nine benches for use in the outdoor education area of the school. The group also constructed two trellises to support garden plants, painted three large tires used as garden beds white, and weeded and cleaned up the area. The group persisted through several challenges and did a great job! Many thanks to Will, his mom, and all of the people who helped to finish this project!