Our class is taking part in a service project as part of a grant to study invasive species in the Madison School Forest. Our fourth graders are studying garlic mustard, which is an extremely aggressive invasive that spreads across the forest floor. Because it multiplies so rapidly and has no confirmend natural enemies in this part of the world, it is doing great harm to wildflowers and other small plants which grow in the spring. We had help from Isabel's mom and several school forest naturalists.
Left to right: Lining up along a 10x10 meter study plot; beginning to check a randomly tossed hoop;
documenting the data; checking the plans with the hoop; using a thermometer and pushing in a soil bore.
Left to right: Sweeping the study plot for garlic mustard plants; just a light sweep of the leaves may find early garlic mustard;
monitoring the study plot; digging out garlic mustard plants from a quadrat site; sorting through leaf litter within a quadrat site;
"This bouquet smells funny".
Left to right: Checking out a soil bore; looking at the colors of a soil bore; "Look what we found!";
all this stuff just invaded the forest; two bags of garlic mustard plants from one 10x10 meter site!
Last update: April 11, 2006
Editor/publisher: Eileen Potts Dawson epottsdawson@madison.k12.wi.us
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