Activities

1. Training on the removal of invasive plants at the start of the day
2. Clear lots of emerging Broom (up to 2 feet tall) from the trail and from the hillsides we can reach safely
3. And, of course, you will be welcome to explore the trail of the Lompico Headwaters.

We need at up to 30 people for this day's work! We will provide water and other drinks.

Please respond! We look forward to seeing many of you out there!

Directions/Parking/Carpooling
RSVP and let me know if you need directions to the trailhead. Carpooling is encouraged, as parking at the trailhead is very limited. Many of us will meet at the Mountain Roasting Coffee Co (next to the Safeway in Felton, SEE MAP) and carpool/caravan to the trailhead. Other carpool options should be coordinated, as needed.

Background
This forest is a beautiful redwood sanctuary that was loved a little too much by humans who inadvertently (sometimes deliberately) brought in invasive plants during the last 70 years. So it's going to take some effort to restore it to a more natural state.

Great volunteers have been working with Sempervirens Fund this past year to remove the invasive and noxious French Broom up at the Lompico Headwaters.  This weed, a native of countries surrounding the Mediterranean, has been introduced into our mountains and it takes over disturbed areas, like the redwood forests that have been logged or developed.  It has succeeded in many places to crowd out native vegetation.  We extracted enormous piles of mature Broom plants last February, and a whole lot more of the pesky weed in December and earlier this month, all in an effort to help return this little canyon back to its beautiful, natural state. 

Thank you to Ken Moore of Wildlands Restoration Team (www.wildwork.org) for his outstanding resources (skills, knowledge, professionalism and time) in leading these projects.  Thank you to Stan Hooper of the Mid Peninsula Regional Open Space District for loaning us a bunch of Weed Wrenches.  Thank you to Mountain Roastings in Felton for the donation of coffee, the only warmth (besides the company of our wonderful volunteers) we had throughout the day.  Thank you to the Roger Sideman of the Santa Cruz Sentinel and to Rachael Montague of the Valley Press/Banner for getting our story out to the public.

But, most of all, thank you to the dozens of volunteers (Sempervirens Fund docents, Lompico residents and rabid broom bashers) for the time and energy they‚ve been giving to this campaign, to the environment, and to this community.  Their efforts are appreciated by many, many people.

What YOU can do to keep French Broom (Genista monspessulana) at bay:

• Learn more about (Genista monspessulana) at ucce.ucdavis.edu or www.wikipedia.org
• Halt the distribution of this plant by asking local nurseries to stop selling it
• Get active!  Learn and practice appropriate removal techniques with Sempervirens Fund and the Wildlands Restoration Team at the next Broom Bash.