There will be a cleanup and Prairie Grass Extravaganza at Oak Ridge Cedar Barren on Saturday, August 15, organizers said.
They said this will be a free opportunity to see prairie goldenrod (Solidago ptarmicoides), naked-stem sunflower (Helianthus occidentalis), and Torrey’s mountain mint (Pycnanthemum torrei) at the Oak Ridge Cedar Barren. It will be combined with a workday to remove invasive plants.
Located next to Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge, this barren is a joint project of the City of Oak Ridge, the State Natural Areas Division, and Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning.
The area is one of just a few cedar barrens in East Tennessee, and is subject to invasion by Chinese lespedeza, Japanese privet, autumn olive, mimosa, Nepal grass, multiflora rose, and woody plants that threaten the system’s prairie grasses. Cleanups in the spring, summer, and fall help to eliminate the invasive and other shade-producing plants that prevent the prairie grasses from getting needed sun.
Volunteers should meet in the Jefferson Middle School parking lot at 9 a.m. August 15, wear sturdy shoes, and bring loppers, gloves, and water. The work session will conclude at noon with a pizza lunch.
For more information, contact Tim Bigelow at Bigelowt2@mindspring.com or at (865) 607-6781.
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