Brush Work & Herbicide

Saturday, December 9 – 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

Location: Rice County

NOTE: This is a rescheduling of the work day that was originally scheduled for November 4th

Work restoring this privately owned remnant bluff prairie started 20 years ago with invasive tree removal and burning by Diane Angell, her husband and their three children. While all the large trees were removed long ago, their legacy lives on with many smaller trees still re-sprouting every year! This workday will focus on treating small trees with herbicide.

The property has benefited from numerous state and federal programs, including the Minnesota DNR Native Prairie Tax Exemption Program, the Federal Conservation Reserve Program, and it is currently in the Minnesota DNR Native Prairie Bank Program. Diverse wildlife spotted on this prairie include nesting shrikes, badgers, pocket gophers, prairie voles, meadowlarks, Henslow’s sparrow and regal fritillary butterflies. There are also many plant species uniquely found on sandy, dry bluff prairies such as kitten tails.

The work will mostly be treating small trees with herbicide using paintbrushes, dabbers, and sprayers. Other work that could be done includes removing old barbed wire. There will be a limited supply of hand clippers and loppers available for use. Participants should bring their own if they have them. Herbicide and herbicide applicators will be supplied by the landowners.

December 10th will be the rain date for this work if there’s bad weather on the 9th.

WHAT TO BRING:

Dress for the weather. That may include a hat to keep the sun off your face. Bring leather gloves in case we work with the old barbed wire and bring plenty of water or other hydrating liquid. Snacks, too, if they help you stay energized throughout the day.

WORK PARTY LEADER:

If you would like attend this work day, please RSVP. RSVP and question can be emailed to Diane Angell.

Be sure to RSVP so you can get directions to the site from Diane, and also because if weather prevents us from working on the 9th, only the people who RSVP’d will be notified that we’ll instead work on the 10th.

And if you’re available on the 10th and not the 9th, let Diane know so she can contact you if the work ends up being done on the 10th.