Little Bluestem Sanctuary Work Party

Come prepared to help us prepare the land for summer and learn about forest ecology along the way. Work on the land may include planting native perennials, fire and erosion mitigation, and enriching wildlife habitat. We will also be gathering woody material for making biochar.

Many trees have come down in the woods over the past few years, and all that dead wood presents a wildfire hazard. Some of the larger material can be cut and piled to make homes for fungi, salamanders, and others, and some can be bucked up for firewood.

We can also gather and bundle smaller sticks together and burn them in a low-oxygen pit to make high-density charcoal, or biochar. We can then use the biochar in our nursery as a substitute for the increasingly expensive and environmentally dubious material perlite, used to aerate potting soil.

All volunteers welcome! Please RSVP in advance if you can.

Bring:

• Sturdy working clothes suitable for the weather- if it's not pouring rain, we'll be out in the woods
• Work gloves
• Close-toed shoes
• Pruners, hand saws and chainsaws welcome, but not necessary
• Self-care kit (water, lunch, snacks, etc.)

Directions:

The nursery is behind the big brown house on the left side of the road before a clearing with a pond. If you cross a bridge over a creek, you have gone too far. Do not trust your GPS, it will take you to the neighbors and/or into the side of the mountain. Look at a map to see how to get to Glass Hollow from wherever you're coming from. If you get lost, don’t hesitate to call (434) 227-2317 for directions.