The Project
     The Friends, in cooperation with the Lakeshore Nature Preserve Committee, began an exciting new project in 2002. The work involves restoration and enhancement of the woodland understory in the project area. This includes the southeastern corner of Bill's Woods, a small strip west of the vehicle gate along the decorative stone wall, and the planted area near the pedestrian entrance to Picnic Point.
      During the late winter, the UW Grounds Crew removed the invasive buckthorns and other alien problem shrubs which had been marked by Friends volunteers.  Friends members purchased many native pants, including many understory trees, shrubs, woodland wildflowers and ferns.  They were planted and cared for by Friends volunteers, with some help from University of Wisconsin students.
     We hope eventually to eradicate all the invasive alien plants in the project area,  replacing them with native woodland species. However, further removal will be selective and incremental, and will take place only after the initial plantings are well established. We wish to avoid any abrupt and radical change in appearance and any unnecessary disturbance of the animals which are part of the woodland community.

Volunteer Opportunities
     Planting of woodland understory species will continue throughout the 2003 growing season. We need volunteers to help plant, water and care for the small trees, shrubs, wildflowers and ferns. We also need help in documenting the work done and maintaining a detailed database of plants and animals in the project area through time. All are welcome to join our work parties, which will begin again in the spring.

Peg Wallace and Mary Trewartha work in a planted area near the entrance of Picnic Point

Buckthorns were removed in the winter to make room for planting native shrubs and understory plants in early spring, 2002

Ann Burgess and Asuka Fukushima, an exchange student from Japan, plant woodland wildflowers in Bill's Woods

Information
   For more information about the project and about how to help, call Mary Trewartha (238-8106) or Glenda Denniston (231-1530).