Day 8 - No Rest in Restoration
Extremely excited, we bantered back and forth about the opportunity in front of us. Our goal was to learn as much about this land. The more we learned, the more we realized this property was great for us and maybe not so great for others. In our research, we learned the most invasive species on the land was reed canary grass. Further research indicated that this type of grass is extremely aggressive and terribly tedious to eradicate. Most people might interpret that information as more than they’re willing to take on. Call it being naive or being hard-headed, but we saw this obstacle as an opportunity.
Land restoration has become one of our interests. It started with our volunteer work for the Ice Age Trail and extended to the outdoor classroom I developed at my school. On the Timberwolf Trail, I am continually working (often with children) at removing invasive plants, adding native ones, and adding to our natural play area. The pride and joy of this space is our restored prairie. Over thirty species of wildflowers and grasses native to Wisconsin adorn the trail throughout the year. Despite displaying a purple and yellow canvas any Minnesota Vikings would love, the late July, early August peak is my favorite. By the way, Go Pack Go! Prairie restoration is not for the impatient. One must allow the extensive root system to grow strong enough to choke out any weeds or invaders before allowing the bloom to be enjoyed by all. Once established, the prairie is mainly self-sufficient.
Besides the prairie, other tasks take up a fair amount of my free time and energy. Adding trees is a constant process. Updating the natural play area is addicting. Removing unwanted plants, improving trail tread, and assessing the land for potential issues is a necessary evil. It’s definitely a labor of love. I joke that by the time I am about 150 years old, the trail will look like I have envisioned in my dreams.
With as much time as I have spent there over the years, my wife considers it my fourth child. Well, if this property would become ours, it might be our fifth, sixth, and seventh.
