The holidays are over but The Buckthorn Man, heedless of the wind and weather, is still celebrating before the blazing buckthorn yule with his friends.  Fa la la la la, la la la la his chainsaw sings in merry measure, as the buckthorn falls fast as the year passes.  Hail the new, ye lads and lasses!

It’s been a great winter season so far for cutting and burning buckthorn, with just enough snow cover and moderate temperatures.  I’ve been busy at the Scuppernong Springs Nature Trail and the Ottawa Lake Fen SNA and, thanks to a lot of help from my friends, we’ve freed some oaks from their buckthorn chains and opened up some exciting new vistas.  It’s buckthorn cutting season, my favorite time of the year!

On Thursday, January 14, Andy Buchta and I worked at The Springs in the area marked in yellow on the map below.

I really appreciate Andy’s generous, volunteer contribution; he works hard and we make a good team.

This area is just down the trail 100 yards or so from the parking lot on Hwy ZZ

We spaced out three fires along the west edge of the thicket.

On the right you can see the effects of two huge cottonwood trees that crashed down among the thicket on the right side.

My sprayer sprung a leak — Andy got the spare from my truck

The first pile burning down

Second pile ready to light

Third pile started

Andy works the third pile

We cleared out around one really nice oak

Thanks again Andy!

Sunset over the Scuppernong River Habitat Area

On Saturday, January 16, we returned to the north side of the Ottawa Lake Fen SNA to work on the south side of the SkyDance Pet Lodge property.  Thanks again to Dennis Lutynski for agreeing to let us clear the buckthorn on his land and integrate the open space with the state natural area.  Our goal is to open the views into Ottawa Lake from Hwy 67 to show off this beautiful landscape; hopefully, this won’t cause any accidents by drivers rubbernecking to take in the scenery.

Four view of the work area looking north from the Ottawa Lake Fen SNA border into the SkyDance property — west to east.

The view from the parking lot at the SkyDance Pet Lodge

Steve, Lindsay, Chris and Andy

We accomplished quite a bit!

It turned out to be a gorgeous day.

Various views looking north from the Ottawa Lake Fen SNA acros the SkyDance property.

The new view from the SkyDance Pet Lodge parking lot

Ben and Lindsay discussing fertility cycles…

The blazing Yule Log

On Friday, January 22, Dr. Dan Carter, Senior Biologist with the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, led a field trip at The Springs to teach us how to differentiate between exotic and native phragmites.  Dan organized his analysis into an excellent post on his Prairie Botanist blog.

Dr. Dan Carter, SEWRPC; Eric Tarman-Ramcheck, DNR; Maggie Zoellner, Kettle Moraine Land Trust; Lindsay Knudsvig, Kilkenny Family Project; Mariette Nowak, Wild Ones; Cheryl White, Waukesha County Land Conservancy

I captured his work in the field in a series of videos, which are concatenated below.  The exotic identification comes first and then we visited two sites to see all of the characteristics of the native species.

This patch of native phragmites is just west of the gaging station bridge over the Scuppernong River

Almost all of the phragmites in the valley encompassing the headwater springs of the Scuppernong River is of the exotic variety, while the huge expanse of phragmites in the Scuppernong River Habitat Area, that is visible from the marl pit bridge or the Indian campground, is native.  The later information was a revelation, as we had always assumed that it was exotic phragmites, and had considered it as such in the NAWCA grant proposal.

Exotic Phragmites australis ssp. australis, John Hrobar standing on the deck at the Emerald Spring, photo by Sue Hrobar

Native Phragmites australis ssp. americanus, view into the Scuppernong River Habitat Area as seen from the marl pit bridge over the Scuppernong River

I really need to get more science in my life; that was fun!

Finally, on Saturday, January 23, I was joined by Andy Buchta and Ben Johnson at The Springs.  We worked in the area marked in red on the map above, near signpost #1.  Anne Korman, the new Superintendent Kettle Moraine State Forest – Southern Unit, Lapham Peak Unit and Glacial Drumlin Trail – East, stopped out to visit and thank us for all of our hard work.  You’re welcome Anne!

Imagine a burning pile of buckthorn in the foreground of this shot

and another pile here

and a third pile here,

We carved space in the thicket right up to the two huge oaks behind Andy and Ben

Ben and Andy comparing notes

The Buckthorn Man

Well, it’s time to don my gay apparel and cut some buckthorn, Fa la la la la la la la.

See you at the Ottawa Lake Fen SNA.