The Annual Garlic Mustard Pull in Poland Municipal Forest occurred this past weekend. This event, I woke up early on Saturday, the 20th, to drive down College Street in front of the woods’ entrance. There was a display table managed by the chairwoman, Mrs. Elinor Zedaker. This table housed the attendee sheet for both adults and children, whom adults needed to permit to attend (being 17 and having driven me, I stood by the table awkwardly, slightly bitter I might have woken up early on a Saturday for nothing until Professor Renne graciously signed for me and another scene club member). It also contained gloves, a donation bag, and plastic bags for trash cleanup.
Once all participants gathered, Professor Ian Renne, an ecologist professor and bird researcher from YSU, also a member of the Forest Board of Commissioners, gave a short lecture on invasive species the group will be pulling alongside examples. The most important piece of information I retained was what to do with the plants right after the uprooting: lay it back down. In my mind, I’m thinking that the plants will germinate and reproduce, but Professor Renne informed us that they will decay and give nutrients back to the local environment. Afterward, Mrs. Zedaker gave some notes of importance: don’t be careless by walking on wildlife, and the flowers must stay in the woods. Then, we were off.
There were roughly 20 attendees, and the different organizations– Poland Science Club, students from MCCTC, Girl Scouts, and another organization–tended to travel with those groups. I followed two Pound Freshmen: Monica Moore and Ava Day. We traveled down the bluebell trail, finding garlic mustard sporadically throughout the bluebells. I focused on pulling the garlic mustard because they were easily identified by their white blooming tops and long, erect stems–definitely not because I forgot what the other invasive species were. Not only that, since the days prior had consistent rain, the earth softened and made the garlic mustard easy to uproot.
May I say, this event was incredible for being so simple. It was surreal from the cluttering and clanking machine of life; the breeze on your face, the songs of the birds, the steady flow of the stream–it was peace. Just letting out a deep sigh in the woods would relieve all of the stress and negative implications from the busy world, and the one-track mind of removing the invasive plants slowed my mind racing with thoughts. It was a needed “forest bath.” There were moments in between my constant effort to rid the ground of the species that I just admired the beauty right in the middle of our village. The only negative about the event was the “suspicious” odor with garlic undertones, presumably the garlic mustard and skunk cabbage’s aroma (their names really capture their fragrances). It wasn’t overpowering and only occupied condensed areas.
In all, I highly recommend attending this event next year. Not only does it help our town forest, but the Garlic Mustard Pulling clears your mind. Being surrounded by nature de-stressed me for a solid two hours. Even if you don’t plan on participating in the event, simply walking through the woods is incredibly beneficial–and don’t forget to grab some garlic mustard on the way!
