Opacum Woods Botanical Survey

Botanical Survey Dates:

Saturday, June 14

Tuesday, July 15

Tuesday, July 22

Invasive Species
Work Day:

Monday, September 22

Interested?
Drop us a line or call 508-347-9144

Members and Friends of Opacum Land Trust are invited to learn about botanical survey goals and techniques, as well as invasive species identification from the Staff of New England Wildflower Society.

In January the Opacum Land Trust and the New England Wildflower Society received a grant from the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition in coordination with the Franklin Land Trust and the Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust for over $8,600.  This grant will allow Opacum to “improve stewardship and management of conservation land”, specifically at the Opacum Woods and Gaumond properties in Sturbridge.  The money will provide funds for the New England Wildflower Society to complete a botanical inventory and invasive plant study at these properties. 

The project will kick off in May with a meeting with New England Wildflower staff.  Members of the Opacum Land Trust who wish to volunteer will be invited to learn about botanical survey goals and techniques as well as invasive species identification.  The survey of Opacum Woods and the Gaumond property will take place between early June and October (See scheduled dates to the left).   In October, staff of the New England Wildflower Society will make a final presentation of the survey results and provide Opacum with a stewardship plan for these properties.  All participants and interested parties will be included in this final meeting.

The land trust hopes that anyone who is interested will help New England Wildflower staff with the survey and invasive species control on our premier property.  This grant will help us by providing:
 

Ø      A running plant inventory lists throughout the survey

Ø      Documentation of invasive species populations, mapped with GPS

Ø      Volunteers will be trained in invasive species identification and botanical survey techniques

Ø      A complete botanical survey of Opacum Woods and the Gaumond property, including comprehensive floristic list and natural community classification for properties (will be included in Stewardship Plan)

Ø      Management workday with NEWFS staff and volunteers, to serve as a prototype for future management actions

Ø      Preparation of Stewardship Plan, with short and long-term management strategies for preservation of the properties’ native biodiversity

It is a privilege to not only receive this grant but also to be working with a noteworthy organization such as New England Wildflower.

Anyone who is interested in participating on one or all of the survey dates should contact Leslie Duthie at leslie@opacumlt.org to learn more about the project and this great opportunity.