Successful Spring Planting

By Stacey Wildberger

On May 4^th Cape Conservation Corps spent the day planting over 1000 native plant landscape plugs at Little Magothy Beach Park along the slope to the right of the driveway.  We had spent three previous Weed Warrior Days removing the invasive plants growing along there, including the horrible day lilies or “ditch” lilies, liriope, dames’ rocket (aka money plant), euonymus, English ivy, and a host of other harmful plants.

We replaced them with several natives, Phlox divacarta woodland phlox, Solidago caesis golden rod and Carex woodii pretty sedge. These plants will not only create a healthier ecosystem, increase biodiversity but will help control erosion and runoff.  Native plants have spent thousands of years co-evolving with native fauna of the area, supporting life, and helping them complete their life cycles.

We had 27 total volunteers (including 16 kids from the high school)

work 61 hours in the rain. In addition to 1000+ plugs we also planted 25 shrubs, 25 mayapples and 25 quarts of assorted golden rod and asters.

In the fall we will be planting 45-50 trees and shrubs in the wooded area of the Little Magothy Beach property as well as adding some to Serene Ravine. We will continue working all summer into October on invasive species removal and would love to have some more folks join us. On the job training!

Our next events are listed under Events, including the Strawberry Festival. We have over 150 milkweed seedlings available for the kids to pot up into a homemade newspaper pot and take home to support the monarch butterflies. Stop by our table and learn more about CCC and all the programs we have.