Come join SEATUCK for a volunteer phragmites pull at West Brook!
West Brook, located in Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park, is an ecologically significant site that presents an unique opportunity to restore a coastal stream and its riparian habitat in the wake of a 2019 dam failure. Phragmites, or common reed, is an invasive plant that can quickly dominate and choke out native species. Manual hand-pulling, which Seatuck has conducted at the site for the past five years, is an effective way to control pioneering phragmites as it seeks to spread through lateral rhizome growth. Removing these shoots slows the spread of phragmites and gives the native plants more time to take hold. Seatuck was awarded funding through NYS Invasive Species Grant Program to continue our fight with the phragmites and other invasive species at West Brook for the next 3 years!
Join us on Friday, August 23rd, 2024, as we work to remove invasive species at West Brook and continue to improve stream habitat for diadromous fish. Please register to attend. You can also email kmattei@seatuck.org for more information.
By volunteering your time, you will :
Safeguard the unique, natural restoration underway at this site
Secure the establishment of natural riparian habitat for local wildlife
Learn about the threat from invasive species and the importance of reconnecting flowing streams and restoring their ecological health
To Register for: Friday, August 23rd, 2024, 9am-12pm
To Register for: Friday, September 20th, 2024, 9am-12pm
No experience is necessary! No equipment required!
Before we begin, we will provide a brief history of the site and its ecological importance. We will also teach participants how to identify phragmites and the proper way to remove it. Equipment such as work gloves, shovels, and garbage bags will be provided, but participants are also welcome to bring their own tools!
Avoid sun exposure and bug bites! No rain dates!
Please dress appropriately, bring sunblock, bug spray, water, and snacks. The workdays are weather permitting, please make sure to check your emails the morning of the event to see any potential updates from us!