Birchbank Invasives

Trillium, Bloodroot, and Bladdernut (a stunted shrub)

What's going on at the beginning of Birchbank Trail?  Invasive species removal. Why? Because Birchbank Mountain has some really distinctive growing conditions and native plants that we don't usually see in this part of the state. That includes all the spring wildflowers like Dutchman's Breeches, Trillium, and Bloodroot. But that's just the start. Basswood, Catalpa, Elm, and Sugar Maple are classic for this "Rich Mesic" forest type with sweet and rich loam, so different from the acidic glacial till we usually deal with (there were a lot of ash, too, but they've all died). Water seeps out of the base of the river slope, but drains easily through the loam.  Shrubs include Bladdernut heavily stunted by deer. Bladdernut and Basswood are considered classic for this type of forest. Maidenhair Fern, Green Dragon, Wild Cucumber, and Doll's Eye Baneberry can be found here as well. 

This used to be a Burning Bush the size of a small tree

Several years ago, the Birchbank trailhead would become impassible each summer due to a patch of invasive Japanese Knotweed that was 350 feet long. A brush cutter had be used every year to cut down the Knotweed forest and allow hikers in. What a nightmare that plant is. So a lot of effort has gone into removing the Knotweed over the years, and it's over 99% gone. Sprigs keep coming up here and there, so it's important to stay on top of it. In doing so, it's become sadly obvious that the native plants are under siege from all the usually invasive species that are such a problem around the state, as well as deer overbrowsing. 

Doll's Eyes Baneberry

One thing that became very apparently this year is how the thriving native plants inside the first deer exclosure have been doing a fantastic job of outcompeting the invasive plants. Outside the deer exclosure, the invasives would get pulled and the deer would then come by and eat all the native plants. And then there would be nothing, and the next year the invasive would come right back to fill in the gap. So this year, the area is also getting some deer repellent to help fight the invasives.

Basswood and Catalpa

Previously, invasive species removal has been somewhat random as time allowed (other than staying on top of the Japanese Knotweed, the priority). This year, things are more methodical. After pulling out a mountain of garlic mustard that had gone to seed, the goal is to start at the trailhead and work gradually down the trail, pulling every invasive along the way on the left side of the trail and up the hill about 100 feet (beyond that there are not many invasives).  This includes some Burning Bush and Japanese Barberry, which open up the hillside quite a bit in places. Both can be uprooted surprisingly easily, although it's hard work. The larger Burning Bush shrubs need to be sawed off and herbicide painted onto the stump to keep them from reprouting. After a section of the left side of the trail is done (marked with stakes), the right side will be worked on. As of today, the stake is about 100 feet down the trail. 

Wild Cucumber (with Virginia Creeper)

Other invasives getting removed include Bittersweet vines, mugwort, multiflora rose, wineberry, and first year garlic mustard. 

If this is something that interests you and you're willing to help out, please shoot an email to Teresa at conservation@cityofshelton.org.