Park News: Summer 2008
VOLUNTEER WORK DAYS
A number of Invasive Plant Clean-Up Days are planned for the summer and fall. July’s work sessions will concentrate on the Hill’s Pond area and tackle buckthorn, oriental bittersweet, multiflora rose, burning bush and Japanese knotweed. The second July session will be held on Saturday, July 26th from 3:00 – 5:00 pm. Please wear work gloves & old clothes and bring loppers, pruners, mattocks, shovels, if possible. Drinks & fun provided. The Friends now have four “Weed Wrenches.” They’re very impressive – come check them out. There will be work days scheduled for the Shawnee Road area of the Park in the fall. We are very grateful to volunteer Becky Edmondson for her steadfast battle this spring against a huge garlic mustard outbreak primarily in that area of the Park. If, on your walks, you can pull Japanese knotweed from the wood chip mound near the pond, please dispose of it in a barrel.
SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK
Please plan on coming to the Park on Sunday, July 27th at 5:00 p.m. on the front lawn to see “Much Ado About Nothing” co-sponsored by FoMRP, the Friends of Robbins Farm and the Arlington Center for the Arts. Should be fun!!!!
HILL’S POND
Hill’s Pond was treated in mid-June to control submerged curly-leaf pond weed which was widespread throughout the middle of the pond. The work was done by Aquatic Control Technologies. We hope that the four pond aerators, installed during last year’s park renovation, will soon be operative again. The aerators seem to be doing a very good job of keeping the pond clear. Watch for a repair guy in scuba gear!!!!
PARK UPKEEP
Remaining renovation work to the pathways was finished in June. And the rear field was mowed, raked, fertilized and seeded. The Tree Department of the Arlington DPW cut down a number of dead trees in the woods in July.
MEMBERSHIP
Please consider joining the Friends of Menotomy Rocks Park to help us keep the Park a wonderful place for al to enjoy. See our website for dues information – or send $15 (individual dues) to: FoMRP, 130 Jason Street, Arlington, MA 02476. You can also order our new t-shirts and other items at our web-store.
PARK HEROES
Many thanks to Karen Dillon who protected a snapping turtle from being disturbed by passersby in one of the fields this spring while she laid eggs – by placing a chinchilla cage over her until Ms. Snapper finished her work.
Thanks as well to David Bean who in three weeks of his twice-daily rounds through the park this spring collected 350 beer bottles. We are very grateful to all who love Menotomy Rocks Park – and who work hard to keep it the natural gem that it is.