ELKS 1st WORKDAY 2024-04-27.pdf
Northampton Lodge of Elks #997
17 Spring Street
Florence, MA 01062-9733
(413) 584-0297
elkslodge997@gmail.com
Northampton Conservation Commission
210 Main Street
Northampton, Massachusetts 01060
March 04, 2024
Dear Commissioners,
The Northampton Lodge of Elks #997, located at 17 Spring Street in Florence, submitted a Notice of
Intent and Request for Determination to the Northampton Conservation Commission in November
2001. The Commission issued an Order of Conditions in February 2002. The Order of Conditions
included requirements to remove invasive species along the bank of the Mill River and replace them
with a number of native plants. It seems clear that invasive species removal along the riverbank was
addressed in 2002. Compared to the other wooded areas on the property, invasive plants along the
riverbank are much smaller. This is particularly apparent when comparing the size of the predominant
invasives such as Oriental Bittersweet. There is also evidence that the required plantings were done,
but many of those plants and trees did not survive.
We are proposing an annual work day to address the ongoing need to remove invasive plants and to
continue to plant native species. This event will be scheduled to coincide with Arbor Day; this year it’s
scheduled for April 27th. The annual date may be moved once we see how the project goes. Another
date may be better for identifying plants. This will be an annual event, memorialized by the Lodge.
Labor will be volunteer. We will have a number of people with working knowledge about invasive
species on hand to help with plant identification, removal techniques and new plant locations, including
at least one invasive species expert.
All removal will be manual. No herbicides or other chemical controls will be used.
Based on conversations with a number of landscapers, it will likely take several years of work days to
remove the majority of the invasive species. The benefit of this approach is that continued attention
will, year over year, reduce the numbers of invasive plants that are able to reseed, maintaining the
balance of native species in the future as well as in the short term.
Another benefit of this approach to invasive species control is education. People involved with this
project will learn to identify invasives, remove invasives in an environmentally safe manner and see
what native species can do without the competition of aggressive plants like Oriental Bittersweet,
Buckthorn and Garlic Mustard.
Thank you for considering our proposal.
Louis Hasbrouck,
for the Northampton Lodge of Elks #997
NOTE: Our first work day was held April 27th 2024. More than 30 members came to assist. We
focused on Oriental Bittersweet, Common Buckthorn, emergent Black Locust and Garlic Mustard as
these are readily identifiable at this time of year. We removed a significant amount of vegetation in 4
hours. We also thatched and aerated the forebay and detention basin.
We will arrange another day later in the spring to address invasive plants that appear in early summer
and start the process of replacing native species. We will also extend the areas we address to include
parts of the property beyond the riverbank.