Volunteer for the Mill River work session.

Mill River Habitat Improvement Project

As a reminder this Saturday, June 20th, from 9:00 am until noon we will be working on controlling the Japanese knotweed on the Congress Street section of the Mill River in Fairfield, CT. Saturday weather prediction is perfect for this activity, sunny high of 75 F.  All ages of volunteers are invited to come out and support your chapter in this effort. If you are not a chapter member, you too are invited also.  For your own comfort wear long pants, long sleeve shirt, and sturdy shoes/boots; bring your work gloves. There is a lot of poison ivy indigenous on the site.

We will meet at the footbridge on Congress Street, in Fairfield, CT.  This is the border between Fairfield and Easton. Congress runs parallel to the Merritt Parkway.

Our chapter is in the 3rd year of controlling the knotweed, 2nd worst invasive in the U.S., at this location. We have treated the invasive with chemical for two years. This has resulted in reducing the amount of knotweed to a point that can managed through cutting.  Cutting should occur twice a year. Once in June to stress the knotweed’s rhizome and once in September before it flowers to stop seeding and to stress the rhizome.

This Saturday we will cut the knotweed with sickles for the June event.  This is actually quite a satisfying exercise.  This pernicious weed can sprout from the cuttings and there is no place that will take it. What we will do is wrap the cuttings in black plastic to contain the weed and  leave on site to die. Once dead it can be safely mulched.

Come out, volunteer, and enjoy the camaraderie of this volunteer effort. Bring a family member or friend. As I said above cutting down this stuff is fun.

See you on Saturday!

Charles Petruccelli | President | Nutmeg Chapter Trout Unlimited

Contact Chuck Petrucelli at chuckp@optonline.net for details and RSVP.