Dear Riverbank Neighbors,

The Controlled Burn Support Crew Training will take place online on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, on Zoom. Please sign up here and we will send you a link in email. Please look for that email.

The land sleeps under a blanket of snow. Native seeds that we, and the other plants, have scattered are undergoing the alchemy of  stratification, the setting of the switch for future growth brought on by sub-freezing temperatures.  The snow on trees and dried stems is a spectacular treat in these isolated times. Before we know it, the snows will be gone, the remains of last years’ plants will dry, and we will, once again, prepare to conduct controlled burns on the river bank. We have now done this for more than 20 years! Burning is essential to the maintenance of native plant ecosystems: removing invasive species, darkening the ground, and dusting the soil with minerals bound up in the stems and duff. 
We will be having an on-line training for new and return volunteers who would like to participate.  I myself find it very valuable to review the procedure and be reminded of the seriousness and heavy responsibility we accept when we do this burn.  A number of veteran burn leaders will present, and we invite experienced neighbors to join us to add their experiences to this workshop. 

Riverbank Neighbors