A Work and Learn Afternoon

This weekend past I had the opportunity to organize a work and learn day titled "Water and Willows" as part of my job with the Kennebecasis Watershed Restoration Committee. When you organize things like this you just cross your fingers and hope that someone shows up. You do the needed email postings, web advertizing, poster postings, and press releases with the hope of drawing at least a handful of people. You check the weather forecasts for the entire week leading up to the event hoping the sun is shining to increase the odds of having people there.

Well for me, this weekend came together rather modestly, with word getting around about the event and the weather sunny and above seasonal temperatures. It was a great day and I shared it with my son. The point of the "Water and Willows Day" was two fold. The first was to gather willow spikes that I would be striking into "Jiffy" pots at a tree nursery so they would grow to seedlings for use this spring on our river restoration sites. The second purpose was to simply get people on the river and show them how great it easy and how easy it can be to help improve it. The willows we were harvesting whips from, the KWRC had planted about 8years ago.

About 20 people met at the Millstream Rec Center and took in a brief presentation on how to harvest willow spikes for transplanting. Then it was a short walk to the banks of the Millstream River. Warm weather meant for a great day outside and people chatted and enjoyed the light work together. In all, over 3700 strikes were harvested.

I want to thank the Kennebecasis Naturalist Society, and the First Sussex Girl Guide members, who helped out, along with the individuals who showed up as well. Volunteers are an integral part of the KWRC and without them we could not carry out many of the projects that we regularly complete.