Gree(n)tings everyone!!!
I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing fantastic, thanks to the Almighty! Earlier today, I joined some students along with members of The Environmental Coalition at Virginia Tech for the monthly invasive removal event organized by Friends of Stadium Woods. In 2011 and 2012 Stadium Woods was threatened by the proposed construction of an athletic indoor football practice training facility. Thanks to local activism that attracted national attention, Virginia Tech decided to build the facility elsewhere on campus.
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| Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson |
Stadium Woods is 11.3 acres of rare, urban old-growth forest located behind Lane Stadium on Virginia Tech's campus. 24 species of trees grow in the Stadium Woods. This site is the web presence of Friends of Stadium Woods, an all-volunteer, grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the woods from development. Friends of Stadium Woods’ primary mission is to ensure the woods’ permanent protection and preservation. The goals of this organization consist of maintenance and care, as well as research and education.
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| Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson |
Along with Millie, ECVT member, our task was to physically remove an invasive plant called privet. While I used the shovel to dig into the root, Millie hand pulled the plant. It's important for these plants to be pulled as soon as possible before they produce seeds. The entire root must be removed in order to prevent resprouting. The reason why we had to get rid of the privet trees is because they are not native to the area of stadium woods and it prevents biodiversity among the native species.
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| Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson |
Although the sun was out, the temperature was 34 degrees and the wind was very cold. You can also see some snow on the ground, and because of this it was really tough to dig and hand pull the plants because the soil was frozen. We did our best to stay warm, but by the time we were finished with cleaning, my toes and fingers were frozen, even though I was wearing socks and gloves, respectively. Overall, I'm glad to have been part of this event because I got to learn about the native species and invasive species at Stadium Woods, and how to identify them. Biodiversity is important! Thank you, Mother Earth!
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| Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson |
Fun Fact: white oak is the predominant species in Stadium Woods, both in number and stature. There are 213 white oaks over 12 inches in diameter. In case you did not know this, White Oak is the State Tree of Maryland, designated in 1941. The most famous example of the White Oak was the Wye Oak at Wye Mills, Maryland. Handsome and sturdy, the white oak is named for its whitish bark and grey twigs. White Oaks are large, long-lived, and slow-growing trees, reaching heights of 60 to 150 feet, with diameters between 3 to 4 feet. Their glossy, bright green leaves have rounded lobes, five to seven per leaf. The species is found commonly throughout my beautiful state of Maryland!
Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Earth Maryland 2015
Continuing the legacy of beauty and responsibility
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