Hello Van Cortlandt Park Nature Network,
We hope you're enjoying the spring season and finding plenty of fascinating flora and fauna to observe. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you for your continued participation in our project. Your contributions are invaluable in helping us understand and protect our park's diverse ecosystem.
We're excited to announce our focus for the latter half of May and all of June: mapping wineberry and other invasive species! Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius) is an intriguing plant with vibrant red berries that resemble raspberries. Interestingly, wineberry was originally introduced from Asia in the late 1800s and has since spread across many parts of the United States.
Why are we mapping wineberry and other invasives?
Mapping these species allows us to identify hot spots and plan targeted removal efforts later in the summer. The best part? We aim to schedule the removal of wineberry in the run up to the fruiting season, so we can enjoy its delicious berries while helping to restore our native habitats. Wineberry typically fruits from late June to early August, so our mapping efforts now will ensure we are ready to act.
Here's how you can help:
Get out there and map! Focus on wineberry and any other invasives you come across. Remember to upload your observations to our project.
Spread the word! Encourage your friends and family to join our network and contribute their observations.
Your participation makes a significant difference. Together, we can help manage invasive species and preserve the beauty and biodiversity of Van Cortlandt Park. Let's get out there and make a positive impact!
Volunteer dates ahead:
5/24 - Meet at the Garden, NWF restoration work. 9-12am
5/28 - Meet at the Golfhouse. Waterchestnut removal in the lake. (We wear waders) 9-12am
5/31 -- Meet at the Garden, NWF restoration work. 9-12am
Happy observing,
The Van Cortlandt Park Nature Network Team
Some interesting bits from our database so far:
--- April 2024 was a record setting month for this project with over 1000 observations. Previous record was just shy of 300 in a month. In 2023, summer observations slowed down a lot. Can we keep observing invasive plants through the summer?
--- The Croton woods and East side of the park are relatively under represented. Let's try to work to change that if we can.
--- Observations tend to cluster along the trails. While we don't encourage you to go off the trails in general, if doing so for this purpose can be helpful.
--- Top observed Species as of now:
Garlic Mustard: 218 observations
Multiflora Rose: 154 observations
Spotted Lanternfly: 128 observations
Wineberry: 96 observations
Common Mugwort: 79 observations
Lesser Celandine: 78 observations
Japanese Knotweed: 60 observations
Oriental Bittersweet: 50 observations
Feral Pigeon: 47 observations
Amur Honeysuckle: 44 observations
-- Top 10 Volunteer Contributors
beniiiii: 496 observations
mugglelissa: 467 observations
noelhefele: 212 observations
eml23: 146 observations
sara47: 104 observations
vcpa_stewardship: 75 observations
chrischalfant: 71 observations
chipwilcox: 60 observations
yoshikomori: 54 observations
jfmantis: 52 observations
