Highland Conservancy

Stewardship in Action by Katheryn Krupa

A wonderful mix of families, adults, teens and children came out on Sunday, October 16th to plant trees along White Lake Road near Eagle Road in Highland as part of the Faith in Action initiative at Highland United Methodist Church.  Working with Jim Lloyd, President of the Highland Conservancy, Mary Lloyd of the Highland Beautification Committee, and many dedicated individuals from the church and community, we were able to plant white pine, red pine and other evergreen trees.  Several years ago the area had become degraded when a developer bulldozed the area, sold off all the top soil and left the land to be overgrown with invasive weeds such as spotted knapweed, which makes the ground toxic to native growth. 

Everyone pitched in digging holes, spreading organic mulch and planting trees to help in the effort to regenerate a healthy ecosystem in the area.  Several people wondered why someone would strip off all the top soil and then leave the land covered in stone and sand, unable to sustain plants and animals that formerly flourished there?  Good question!  [But that is a fight for another day].  Kid's Church teacher Mary Lloyd helped the children learn the importance of planting a variety of trees and how we need to be good stewards of our planet.  She showed them how to plant the trees and then we got to work.

Finally, we returned to re-mulch and spread woodchips around the evergreens that were planted several years ago in the same area.  The only down note was that of the 2,500 acorns that we planted in 2009, less then 5% managed to sprout and grow into young saplings.  (The biggest problem again has been the spotted knapweed that prevent the oaks from getting enough sunlight or nutrients to get a foothold.)  The best news was that this time around, we planted much larger trees that Jim Lloyd had carefully nurtured and raised in large pots, allowing them to grow into 2 to 3 foot trees.  Thanks to Jim and Mary for all their ongoing work mowing, weeding, watering and tending of the area.

A special thanks to all who turned out to make a difference!

LET THAT TURTLE GO by Katheryn Krupa

One of the most disturbing things I hear on a regular basis at my school goes something like this..."Guess what Mrs. Krupa?"  What?  "I found a turtle and my parents said I could keep it."  Oh really, so what are you feeding it?  "Oh, I don't know. I gave it some ants and bugs but it wouldn't eat them.  What do turtles eat?"  Honey, you really should let it go, it's a wild creature.  They don't do well in captivity.  A week later, So did you let that turtle go?  "No, I still have it.  I'm feeding it dead worms."  But is it eating them?  "No, but my Dad said I can keep it."  PLEASE let it go, it's fall and it needs to find a good place to go to sleep for the winter.  Another week later... So I hope the turtle is free now?  "Nope, it died (said very matter of factly).  It wouldn't eat."

This drives me crazy!  I talk to all my classes about the importance of leaving wildlife alone.  Turtles, snakes, frogs, walking sticks, a praying mantis...no matter what it is just let it go where you found it.  I know, I know, even I as a child had painted turtles we kept for a few days but my mother was smart enough to insist we let them go free.  The one pet she gave in on was a baby alligator I got to keep for a month but of course it refused to eat and died and I felt eternally guilty!  Wild animals just do not make good pets.  Period.

Worse yet to an animal lover like me is hearing about all the abandoned kittens mewing under houses or the dozens of cats roaming a neighborhood.  Get your animals neutered now!  Okay, I will keep working away bit by bit on my students at my school but I hope you will do your own part and teach your children to just let those critters go.  As for the cats?  Rescue them and take them to a shelter.  Now I'll get off my soapbox for today.