Our June Habitat Heroes workday at Wavecrest Open Space was a wonderful way to wrap up another season of stewardship!
A heartfelt thank you to Dawn, Julie, Scott, Sophia, Carol, and Coastside Land Trust Stewardship Committee members Barbara Lohman and Robin for spending their Saturday caring for our coastal landscapes. Together, the team removed a significant portion of a large ice plant patch that had been encroaching on an area rich with native coastal prairie plants.
While ice plant may seem harmless, it can quickly outcompete native vegetation and alter fragile coastal habitats. By removing it, volunteers are helping create space for native species to spread and thrive naturally. We look forward to returning next year to continue the effort and, with luck, fully eradicate ice plant from this section of Wavecrest.
Although this was officially our final Habitat Heroes workday of the season, we all know that stewardship never really stops. The timing of our volunteer season is guided by the rhythms of the landscape, and by early summer many of the invasive plants we target have already gone to seed, and dry soils make weeding difficult. This year, however, has been a little unusual, and there is still work to be done.
In the months ahead, volunteers may have opportunities to help maintain restoration areas planted by our Junior Land Stewards, collect native seeds later this summer, and assist with seed spreading during the winter rainy season. if you are interested in joining this crew please reach out to sara@coastsidelandtrust.org.
Most of all, thank you to everyone who joined us over the past six months. Every weed pulled, every native plant protected, and every Saturday morning spent outdoors contributes to the long-term health of our shared open spaces. We are grateful not only for the work accomplished, but also for the community that grows when people come together around a shared love of nature!!
