This summer's wild weather has been really hard on the Open Land Conservancy woodlands. Many magnificent mature trees were toppled in the June "derecho" and in other storms throughout the season.  Renewing and diversifying the woodland has always been an important objective, and - thanks to help from many of you - the results are showing in many of the Preserves.  But now, though, restoring the tree canopy has become even more important, and we are planning planting events throughout the Preserves at the end of October.  Once more, we would like to ask for your help, and there are two important ways to do that.

First, we are hoping that you may be able to help out with the planting itself.  We have ordered from Octoraro Nursery about 400 native trees, mostly the saplings used in the past, and we need your help to get them in the ground.  We have scheduled delivery in time for planting events on Saturday 17th and Saturday 24th of October.  We expect the greatest need will be on the 17th, when we'll be planting in Cedar Hollow, Cool Valley, Valley Creek and Lorimer Preserves.  The 24th will be focused on Airdrie Forest Preserve where a team from the Upper Main Line Rotary Club is already engaged, but more help there would also be great.  This is an especially exciting site as many of the trees will be planted inside an "exclosure" being built by an Eagle Scout team from Paoli 1 on the site of the old scout cabin.

Second, we would like to ask for a contribution to help with the cost of the trees and deer protection.  We are doing everything possible to keep down costs (reusing protective tubes, using donated fence material) and to find grant sources (a grant from PECO's Green Region Open Space program kickstarted the Airdrie project, and we have applied for another matching grant).  However, there will still be a gap to make up, and anything you can contribute will be put right into the ground!  $20 buys five container seedlings, two shrubs or understory trees in two gallon containers or 15 stakes to hold tubes or fences.  https://www.openlandconservancy.org/donate

This is a quite complex project with multiple sites, so it would be really helpful to know if you can participate in one or both of the planting events.  Also, the plants will be delivered a day or two in advance, so it would also be great to know if you are available to help with staging the plants and protection materials at the final locations on the prior Thursdays and Fridays.  Please can you let us know in short email to the Conservancy email address:  openlandconservancy80@gmail.com .  We will send out details closer to the events, so you will be able to participate if your schedule opens up later.

With great appreciation to all of you who share a love for our precious open space