Some people who have lived here for decades declare the 2008 spring wildflower show the most spectacular ever. Removal of invasive plants that out-compete native plants is a big part of the reason the park is looking so beautiful. Our mentors visit and say they are awed by our conservation efforts. Elayna Grody often says, “the native plants and wildlife thank you.”

In April and May we removed more than 10,000 pounds of invasive garlic mustard and honeysuckle from the Adena Brook woodland. And we just kicked off the work season! We planted native trees and shrubs along Overbook near the rain garden and Greg Cunningham installed 2 new wood duck boxes. There’s so much more that Adena Brook Community neighbors do to better the neighborhood. To name a few: Have you noticed how well the Cooke Road/Indianola corner is maintained? Thank Adena Brook neighbors Mark and Carina Carter. The Robinsons and Platts pick up litter between clean ups. Judy Robinson inspires others to adopt streets for litter maintenance, and she also initiated invasive removal by Clintonville Woman’s Club members. Ann Almoney and Dominic Julian photograph wildlife so you see first hand the wonder of wildlife in our backyards. Greg Schneider continues to guide our efforts to maintain and add new plants to the rain garden. An education sign will be installed at the Adena Brook Rain Garden site.

It’s time to invite you to support our work. Any donation amount is appreciated. As many of you know, we do not charge dues or offer memberships to belong to Adena Brook Community. Instead we ask for donations from those willing and able to support the specific projects and tasks we decide to do each year. Make your check payable to “Adena Brook Community” and mail it to PO Box 14055, Columbus, OH 43214. Thank you!

May 3, 2008 CLEAN UP

Some neighbors don’t mind working in the rain. The gentle rain and sound of the brook was soothing. Our mentors tell us the MOST IMPORTANT HELP TO THE WOODLAND RIGHT NOW is getting rid of the garlic mustard. Leave honeysuckle and litter removal for next month. These 13 people pulled garlic mustard:

Steve Blum-Herminghausen, Mark and Carina Carter, Stacey and Tanner Durst, Ellen Hoover, Nan and Bill Platt, Greg Schneider, Christine, Aaron, and Mimi Svoboda, Susan Michael Barrett.

Mentor Greg Schneider (sits on the Central Ohio Invasive Plants Council) said we have about 1 week left to pull garlic mustard before the seed pods are fully formed. We put garlic mustard in brown plastic bags because the seeds continue to grow after pulling. We are advised: DO NOT PUT GARLIC MUSTARD OUT WITH OUR YARD WASTE FOR CITY PICK UP; INSTEAD, PUT IT IN YOUR GARBAGE BIN. We had one bag of litter.

Jim Roberts hauls and shreds the group’s garlic mustard at a high temperature and recycles the plastic bags.

April 26, 2008 Clean-up Summary

An amazing amount of work was accomplished thanks to Adena Brook neighbors and Now Get Busy Columbus volunteers. Here are a few things to report:

State Representative, district 22, candidates John Patrick Carney and Michael Keenan along with their supporters pulled garlic mustard.

Todd Burger and Graham students pulled garlic mustard twice this week.

15 Native Iris were ordered from Prairie Nursery. Greg Schneider guided the planting of the iris and also donated and planted Lizard’s tail, halberd-leaved Rose mallow in the rain garden.

The Robinsons and Kenn Cahill led volunteers in a first time ever honeysuckle removal west of High Street. Judy met with Clintonville Woman’s Club members Myrna Dull, Barbara Kramer and Naomi Blodgett to organize this clean up in an area of park land adjacent to the CWC, sawing huge honeysuckle west of High Street on park land.

These 33 volunteers worked:

Kevin Bingle, Naomi Blodgett, John Patrick Carney, Steve and Georgia Blum-Herminghausen, Bill Blubeaux, Kenn Cahill, David DeMiglio, Myrna Dull, Becky Forman, Derek Hansford and Ann Florentine, Ellen Hoover, Nicole Grosklos, Mike and Jill Keenan, Ryan Keenan, Barbara Kramer, Joshua Lapp, Susan Meyer, Chris Mundorf, Parker Novak, Samantha Osborne, Judy and Bob Robinson, Madeline Smith, Greg Schneider, James Uttley, Susan Michael Barrett, 4 more volunteers.

ANNUAL TREE PLANTING – APRIL 5, 2008

425 native trees were planted in the rain garden and new culvert bridge areas: redbud, shagbark hickory, flowering dogwood, red maple, sassafras; witch hazel shrubs.

Honeysuckle was cleared from behind the rain garden.

32 volunteers worked.

Instead of picking up litter at our annual Cooke Road clean up, we helped each other shovel driveways and dig out from a surprise, record snowstorm on Saturday. 20 inches!

Here’s a list of things we accomplished in 2007: [1] We held 10 work days. [2] 404 volunteers worked 2 hours to pick up litter or remove invasive plants to Adena Brook. [3] 487 bags of litter and debris were removed. [4] We cut about 10 tons of honeysuckle and  pulled 4 tons of garlic mustard. We paid to have the garlic mustard hauled and shredded so the garlic mustard did not spread to other Central Ohio areas. [5] We planted 770 native trees. [6] We designated July as YOUTH month and partnered with Metro-Martial Arts. 53 youth with their families removed litter from the Brook. [6] We organized and collaboratively installed the first city/community rain garden. It cost our group $4,258.03. The city paid about $20,000 for a new sidewalk, curb, and inlet. [7] Neighbor Thom and Jan McCain organized and hosted an Adena Brook Community celebration concert in their backyard which raised $1100. [8] We collaboratively renovated the wire fence on Overbrook Road from High to Canyon. We shared half the $7,200 cost with Columbus Recreation and Parks (our cost was $3600). [8] Adena Brook neighbor Greg Cunningham installed five new and maintained 57 nesting boxes. [9] Steve and Georgia Blum Herminghausen launched the Adena Brook Community website. [10] Street representatives delivered education materials to over 800 neighbors.

The rain garden is planted! At least 33 people helped out on the  project that was documented by NBC4 and ABC6, Jennifer Nesbitt and a staff photographer from ThisWeek, and Dan Trittschuh from The Booster. Be sure to walk or drive by the site at Overbrook and High Street. More photos are sure to follow.

May’s Clean Up Result: 20 Volunteers; 46 Bags of Litter; Numerous Mounds of Garlic Mustard; 40 Collective Hours Worked. The focus was cleaning the brook and garlic mustard. As far as I know, these 20 neighbors volunteered. Since we keep track of our work, please let me know if I missed putting your name on the list:

A young couple with a child in a stroller, Georgia and Steve Blum Herminghausen, Kenn Cahill, Greg Cunningham (mowed the Cooke Road exit lot–big thanks), Diana Jurotvac, Ann Laubach, Peg Matthews (alone, cleaned the brook from Indianola to Yaronia–6 large bags of trash!), Lauren Peimbert, Kip and Carol Patterson, Nan and Bill Platt, Bob and Judy Robinson, Lynne and Chuck Stamey, Pam Terral, and Susan Michael Barrett.

WOW! 53 volunteers planted 745 trees and shrubs in about 2 hours.

THANKS! And a hug to Lisa Bower, forester, Ohio Division of Forestry
for bringing her knowledge and tools, for working so hard. Thank you
Stephanie Suter and Kelly McCutcheon for donating leftover trees from
the Franklin Soil and Water District Sale which brought the grand
total of trees planted to 745. Thank you Randy Navaroli from ThisWeek
newspaper for the article earlier this week that brought more tree
planters to our event. Thank you Paul Bingle, Adena Brook Community
fiscal agent, and his wife, Linda Paul, Earth Share coordinator for
taking time from their busy schedules to join us. Thank you Bill
Platt for taking pictures of the event. Thank you Graham School
students and staff for volunteering and letting us park in their lot.
Thank you to all the Adena Brook neighbors and others who made the
expression, “Many hands make light work,” real.

Happy Earth Day–
Susan