'And into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul" ~ John Muir

Conservation and preservation are crucial for all landscapes. John Muir, who is considered the archetypal preservationist, saved several national parks. Muir is almost a synonym for the woodlands, as he created the Sequoia and the Mt. Rainier national parks, amongst many others. He also started the Sierra Club and is the reason National Parks Service was established.

Eagle Scout and Midshipmen group helping in restoring Spring Walk

Natives, invasives, exotics, all are but plants. When a plant finds a right habitat, it will try to establish as best as it can via vegetative methods or reproductive. It will try everything it can to survive and thrive. Add minimum competition, less aggressive neighboring species, low disturbance and you could have a huge invasive problem!

Bamboo, for example, belongs to the grass family. In fact, some of the giant bamboo are considered the largest growing members of the grass family. When bamboo gets planted in an area where its habit of growing vigorously via rhizomes gets in the way of other plants, then it is a nightmare of an invasive problem!

In the past few days, in spite of gusty winds and low temperatures, a couple of the horticulture staff members: Dylan Bacon and Ben Lammers were able to clear out a large area taken over by bamboo. Ivy, honeysuckle and even some viburnum species are examples of species we are trying to eradicate to preserve the woodlands gardens.

However, for non-profits, in addition to having staff help, volunteer help is very crucial to survive. Stewardship is critical for any type of preservation.

Dylan Bacon (Landscape manager) and Ben Lammers (Horticulture Assistant) working on the Bamboo project.