Thanks to a donation from a passionate RGS/AWS supporting foundation, the Jefferson County Parks and Forestry Dept. received a $1,000 project contribution for habitat restoration at Carlin-Weld County Park in Jefferson County, WI. Carlin-Weld is an 80-acre public park and wildlife area just west of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. This project was funded in late 2019 and wrapped the spring of 2021 with positive results.
The restoration project took place on 2 separate areas, totaling ~4 acres. These areas were heavily infested with buckthorn, honeysuckle, and autumn olive as well as a variety of other invasive herbaceous species. These species were all hand-cleared, herbicide treated, and removed from the restoration area. While the treatment area seems small, treating the invasive infested area will help protect multiple other acres on and off the forestry dept. lands from the spread of the source invasives.
After invasive species removal, a suitable seed mix of native grasses, forbs, sedges, and bare-root hazelnut were planted to help jumpstart the transformation of these areas into high-quality wildlife habitat. Watching this area transition into high-quality wildlife habitat over the years will continue to serve as a reminder of the positive impact of this generous donation.
