AmeriCorps NCCC Volunteers Visit Reserve

On Tuesday April 26^th, 2011 a team of nine AmeriCorps NCCC volunteers, based out of Vicksburg MS, arrived at the Grand Bay NERR to assist Stewardship staff in a week long effort with habitat management issues, marine litter removal, and maintaining the facility’s native plant garden.   The volunteers began their work adding plants to the facility’s newly formed native butterfly garden and maintaining the existing beds.  Beautyberry, titi, and Darrow’s blueberry are among some of the native plants used in the garden to attract various species of butterflies.  Wednesday, the volunteers assisted Stewardship staff with mechanical clearing, a form of habitat management, to reduce the amount of hardwood species in a wet pine savanna habitat.  Thursday and Friday, the volunteers collected more than 50 bags of trash and debris along the Grand Battures and Point aux Chenes shorelines.  Derelict crab traps, a refrigerator, and parts of a sailboat were some of the larger items the group recovered.  The Grand Bay NERR staff would like to thank these individuals and all volunteer groups for their time and service.