This year’s Marin Horizon Green Team, a dedicated group of Environmental Stewards and Climate Change Warriors, have been meeting several times a month to plan various educational events and green projects.
Tackling Invasive Species to Make Room for Natives
The Green Team is proud to be partnering with the Homestead Valley Land Trust and the Parks Conservancy on a habitat restoration project just off the Homestead Trail. Marabeth Grahame from the Land Trust and her colleagues have spent countless hours trying to remove invasive species like Cotoneaster and Scotch Broom. Cotoneaster (pronounced ko-ton-e- aster) is an invasive plant species that spreads like wildfire. The seeds sprinkle everywhere and little buds pop up, and then become big bushes that take over the open spaces. To get rid of the Cotoneaster, they have to essentially kill the plant. They do this by covering it with biodegradable cardboard (no plastic tape on the cardboard), then with burlap, and cover with wood chips or another suitable substance. Over time, the plants die off and the land is opened up for native plants to take over and ensure biodiversity, sustainability, and the natural life cycle for the native species. In fact, the area just above the spot we are covering is one of the best wildflower blanketed areas in the Valley.
The MHS Green Team has spent months collecting and cleaning up over 2000 square feet of cardboard. They peeled off tape and sticky labels and pried off staples. On Sunday, December 15th, volunteers loaded up pick up trucks and delivered the huge bales of cardboard to the site where it was then laid down to block out the non-natives and reclaim the land for the natives! Good work, Greenies!
Big Plans for Fun and Educational Green Activities in the Year Ahead
The Green Team is also providing lessons to lower school classes about how to properly stash your trash after lunch including what to compost and recycle and what, sadly, goes into landfill. They’re planning a fun zero waste spirit day in January which will feature a Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch obstacle course, a trash sort relay race, and a Green Art Center. Also, planning has already begun for the Green Fashion Show in Spring and a vegetarian potluck celebrating the importance of meat-free or meat-light diets.
Finally, we’d like to thank Charlie B., our Green Team Graphic Artist of the year. In the past she has designed many of our fliers and certificates and this fall she created our GT logo for the 24-25 school year.
