Dog Day X2

 Hello PKP Restoration fam!

Summer has definitely been pretty low key for workdays at the Park, but that's okay! We managed to squeeze in a badly needed workday to give our tree saplings from earlier in the year a little TLC and another to rehabilitate the Memorial Tree Garden. Here's these workdays went down:

8/17/24

Seven determined restorationists convened for a somewhat drizzly but productive day nurturing the saplings that have survived the moderate chaos of a PKP summer. Our survivors have been in desperate need of additional staking, flagging, and mulching. It took a good combined effort to accomplish this, and Tracy's work truck and Beverly's sugary treats helped us to accomplish all that we needed to. Check it out!

It warms my heart to recount another fantastic day of ecological restoration and community bonding in the best park in Augusta!

8/31/24

The last day of August was a monumental day for the 13 PKP restorationists that convened to rehab the somewhat forgotten Memorial Tree Garden. This garden/arboretum was a late 90's project and has needed a little refreshing in terms of dead tree removal and pruning.

Though we ecologists are fond of dead trees, this area is pretty visible and forms Hole #16 on the disc golf course and definitely necessitated removal of several petrified Dogwoods to create space for new tree plantings set to occur as early as this fall. For those who have not yet discovered this corner of the Park, it's behind the Dog Park. It's a lovely area of reflection with some stately planted trees and a nice gazebo. Hopefully our hard work and loud saw-whetting made the area even lovelier.

I was ecstatic to have such an amazing turnout of hardworking volunteers because the work was tough and pretty involved. Shoutout to Tracy for bringing his work truck to shuttle debris, Jenna for providing some extra shots, and to the AU crew for mustering up some extra eager hands! Lots of photos for this productive and sweaty morning that concluded with a nice little reflection in the shade of a Chinese Elm 😂

Although our primary objective of the day was to tidy up the landscape, nearby exotic plants beckoned for our attention, and we couldn't resist taking them out. We removed one particularly stout English Ivy vine from a Cedar, an absurdly large Wisteria trunk, and a profusely loaded Chinese Privet that Anthony waged war against, to name a few. 

Morale was high with some sunny weather and our recent news of the huge 50K NFWF grant. Times are good at the Park, and the future is oh, so bright. Come on out and play in the woods with us next time!