PORT TOWNSEND — The Friends of Fort Worden had done a lot to remove invasive plants from the park, but recently it became clear that it was time to call in heavy machinery.
Building on the continuing aggressive work of volunteers over the past four years to remove invasive Scotch broom and European beachgrass, the Friends of Fort Worden hired a firm to dig up and chop down years, if not decades, of English ivy vines and Himalayan blackberry bushes.
“The huge, growing mounds of invasive plants are strangling trees, preventing the growth of native plants, and creating unsightly trip hazards and painful barriers for trail walkers,” said Mitch Freeman, one of three Friends board members on the project team, in a press release.
The primary focus for the team this year is to work along Mule Barn Road near Chinese Gardens and near the old cistern on Artillery Hill.
The Friends worked with NW Landworks to remove large areas of plants that are difficult for volunteers with hand tools to control, Freeman said.
Owner Steve Martin, previously head horticulturist for Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island for 10 years, uses specialized compact machinery to minimize environmental impact, Freeman added.
“So far this year, the (NW Landworks) team has removed 38 truckloads of English ivy from the park, equaling over 44 tons,” Freeman said.
A party of volunteers will go out on Saturday to clean up the area. Volunteers also will work on the area on March 25.
The next step will be grading the cleared slopes and meadows, Freeman said, then either hydroseeding them with native grasses or planting sword ferns, salal, evergreen huckleberry and other plants native to the Northwest.
Friends volunteers will restore the revitalized habitats and maintain the planted areas to prevent the return of undesirable plants.
“As with all our projects, we’re coordinating our work with local and state park managers,” Freeman said.
“We also depend on our volunteers, donors and members for supporting projects like this one.”
To volunteer for upcoming work parties, including Saturday’s, see www.fwfriends.org.
Founded in 1993, the all-volunteer Friends of Fort Worden has provided financial and volunteer support for invasive plant removal and other park improvements not funded by Washington State Parks.
