Restore, Rebuild, Rejoice!
On April 29th, Biodiversity Builders hosted “Restore, Rebuild, Rejoice!” a volunteer event at Alewife Showcase Biodiversity Pollinator Garden (ASBPG) generously sponsored by One Tree Planted. It was an overcast Saturday morning at Cambridge's Alewife Reservation, but despite the weather Jean and Skye were met with enthusiastic volunteers of all ages who were ready to get to work. This garden is a teaching site for Biodiversity Builders upcoming summer program (and currently our work with the 9th graders of International School of Boston) and was given a permit by DCR after the hard work of Jean Devine, Ellen Mass (garden founder) and Lesley Professor Amy Mertl. The garden has been sleeping through winter, and was in need of some delicate cleanup, new plantings, mitigation of one type of goldenrod (native but taking over), and some invasive control outside the garden. Volunteers planted 18 native plants and 5 native shrubs, carefully cut dead sticks and created a border for one side of the garden (insects are still nesting here!) did some light raking, and began to cut back some of the overwhelming Canada Goldenrod (solidago canadensis). Volunteers also learned by demonstration how to carefully remove the invasive garlic mustard and dispose of it properly without having it spread, and worked on cutting the flower off many plants (since we were told we could not fully remove it without a developed plan by DCR). Young and old volunteers also contributed citizen science and photography to the global City Nature Challenge 2023 through the inaturalist app and guided by Amy Mertl documenting plant, insect, and animal life. Garden founder Ellen Mass, and members of Biodiversity Builders, Friends of Jerry's Pond, Save the Alewife Brook, and Mystic Charles Pollinator Pathways shared resources and information with volunteers about native plants and pollinators and provided literature to take home for future projects. The event was a complete success, and we are humbled by the convergence of so many new community members. ASBPG was also able to secure future garden stewards and volunteers for summer maintenance, and Jean and Skye spread the word about summer programs and summer recruiting. We are so grateful to One Tree Planted for the financial assistance to host this event and raise awareness about biodiversity and habitat restoration, as well as supply shrubs and plants for our teaching garden.
