Building a Pollinator Corridor - Green RIver Floodplain Forest Restoration Project

Volunteers welcome! To volunteer, see below.

It all started with a hillside full of spring wildflowers!

For a few years, Wisty Rorabacher had been enjoying the abundance of spring ephemerals in the Green River Conservation Land across the bridge from the Green River Recreation Area. This site has been identified by the Massachusetts Natural Heritage Program as "having a community of rare and unusual plants, shrubs, and trees."

Wisty created signs along the trails so visitors could recognize and enjoy the abundance of wildflowers, including bellwort, trillium, ramps, goat's beard, squirrel corn, hepatica, spring beauties, and many others.

Dicentra canadensis (Squirrel corn)

Uvularaia sessilifolia (Bellwort)

However, invasive plants in the adjacent floodplain (bittersweet, multiflora rose, goutweed, and knotweed) were found to be encroaching on these precious native wildflowers, so efforts were begun to find a way to control the invasive plants and protect the wildflowers.

A native trillium (center of photo) is being swallowed by invasive goutweed and knotweed.

Wisty approached the Greenfield Conservation Commission and Massachusetts Wildlife Natural Heritage botanist Karro Frost and gained permission to remove invasive shrubs and vines in the floodplain. In the fall of 2023, a team of volunteers began forging a pathway through the jungle of knotweed, multiflora rose, oriental bittersweet, honeysuckle, and other invasive plants.

Above: Volunteers gather debris to prepare for burning.

Below: Adding brush to the fire.

Beautiful but invasive bittersweet strangling a tree over the Green River.

Claire pulls multiflora rose out of the tangle of invasives on the floodplain.

That team has continued working twice weekly year round, removing invasives, creating trails through areas that had been impenetrable, rescuing big old trees being strangled by vines, making room for native species to emerge, and learning how best to manage some 'thorny' invasive problems.

Claire Hilfiger, a professional botanist, has been a steady part of the team, helping to guide the work. Community service workers from the Franklin County Jail, and students from local schools are among those who have helped with the work. Many dog walkers and others have expressed their delight with the changes in the park.

A January gathering of volunteers collects cut vines and has a bonfire.

Everyone is welcome to visit the emerging paths along the Green River. Come in April and May to enjoy the springtime ephemerals!

Join the team on their regular work days, Tuesdays and Sundays, 10-12. Contact the group at the link below to volunteer.

Volunteers welcome!

Contact the Floodplain Forest Restoration Project .