Hansville Greenway Update
Blackberries taste good in pie, but their vines can be a real problem when they encroach on trails or other open spaces. Such was the case along the Buck Lake Park entry area to the Greenway and the Otter Meadow. A group of volunteers including, Mike Szerlog, Art Ellison, John Brock and Jim DeRoy held a mowing session and worked for several hours cutting back a large stand of the fast growing vines. According to Art, the vines were approaching old growth stage!
Using a big gas-powered mower and a sickle bar trimmer, they cut the large clumps of vines along the north side of the trail entering the meadow, the west side of the trail going toward Buck Lake and up to the trail that goes through Welcome Wood near the Greenway entrance. This makes walking through these areas easier without getting snagged on the obnoxious vines. However, there are still several clumps that need to be mowed to clear the entire Otter Meadow. Another project for another day.
We are proud to announce that the Hansville Greenway was selected to be the recipient of a special $500.00 Community Service Award from the Starbucks Corporation. Last Summer a team of Kingston Starbucks Drive-through employees, led by team leader and Hansville resident – Jeff Gibbons volunteered for some rather labor intensive trail maint
enance projects. Starbucks matched their volunteer hours with dollars. Our sincere thanks to the Kingston team and to Starbucks.
A HOLIDAY “THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS” PARTY. On Thursday, December 1 the Hansville Greenway Association will have a meeting with a special “Thank you to our volunteers” theme. The meeting will begin at 6:00 pm instead of the regular 7:00 pm starting time so mark it on your calendar. There will be holiday-themed snacks and refreshments and a video about the Greenway will be shown. Even if you haven’t volunteered, you are welcome to come and learn more about the Greenway and how to volunteer. The meeting is open to everyone to celebrate the holiday, but a short business meeting with election of next year’s officers will be held near the end. Please come and join us to say thanks to those who have volunteered to make the Hansville Greenway one of the best trail systems and wildlife corridors in Kitsap County.
This is Mike running the DR Mower in Otter Meadow–the project involves the periodic mowing of grass and blackberries to maintain the meadow habitat.