Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

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Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary cleanup day began promptly at 9 am in the rain. The volunteers were greeted by a warming fire in the large red barn that served as the headquarters for the day’s activities. Volunteer Lynn Harvey of Lincoln signed up 30 people. Ages ranged from 6 to the 60s in a very diverse and energetic group.

At the completion of signup, Janice Cullen, property manager at Pleasant Valley, announced the tasks that required workers and asked for volunteers for each of the tasks. Volunteers chose their favorite assignments and went off to them. Lunch was served at 12:30, and a lively discussion ensued over the morning’s activities and the need for the control of non-native invasive flora. As the day wore on, the sun made an appearance to take the damp chill from the air and a beautiful and very productive day was enjoyed by all.

Some of the accomplishments during the day:

• Over 2,500 square feet of buckthorn brush was removed and piled into heaps for burning when burning bans are lifted
• Kiwi removal produced three mounds of Kiwi measuring approximately 40 cubic feet each
• Four 5-gallon pails of weeds were removed from the office (462 plants by one family!)
• 8 rails and 4 posts were replaced in the parking lot
• Two pickup truckloads of wood chips were placed on main entrance pathways
• The hummingbird garden was weeded and readied for spring growth
• Four hundred feet of the All-Persons Trail was weeded and raked
• Four miles of trail were cleared of sticks and branches. One junior volunteer reported that he personally removed 361 twigs!
• The large sliding glass door windows in the barn were washed inside and out as well as the small panes in the entrance doors