Wilton Land Conservation Trust Co-hosts Talk

 

Invasive alert! Common reed 


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On September 17, 2008 natural landscape designer Larry Weaner gave a free talk entitled "Meadow in the Works" at the Wilton Library, sponsored by the Norwalk River Watershed Association.  This talk focused on the progress of the Schenck's Island project, where partners are working to create exemplary meadow and riparian habitats.  The Wilton Land Conservation Trust and the town of Wilton are working with Mr. Weaner to restore the 17-acre parcel in the center of historic downtown Wilton, CT.  The talk was made possible by the Wilton Library's Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation's Environmental Initiative.  

An explanation of the work ahead as well as the progress report was presented by Larry Weaner with photos and a late afternoon visit to the work-in-progress flood plain meadow.  This has been a long range, multi-phase project, with a portion of the plan implemented each year for the past four years.  Schenck's Island is a triangular parcel that for forty years has been a corridor for invasives due to its being bordered by a railroad, a river and busy town roads.  The first two years alone involved logging and stump-grinding 400 black locust trees that were draped with bittersweet and grape. 

Numerous volunteer groups still spend many hours annually reducing the invasives in the open areas and the riparian habitats.  This year's work plan has been to prepare a central 7.5 acres for seeding with native wild flowers and native grasses.  This is the second meadow project the Wilton Land Conservation Trust has done in conjunction with Larry Weaner, the first being Keeler Ridge Meadow, located on Route 33 between downtown Wilton and Ridgefield.  The mature meadow is now in its fifth year and continues to be a visual delight to all that walk it or drive by.  The Land Trust keeps paths mowed, encouraging walking year round. 

More information on the Schenck's Island project may be found on the website of Larry Weaner Landscape Design Associates.
 

Article courtesy of Teresa Mucci, Wilton Land Conservation Trust and Larry Weaner Landscape Design Associates.


(September 2008)


Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © James R. Allison, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org (Invasive alert! Common reed).