Work!

Today, the process began. Hard labor + a crew =  plantings can now extend into the narrow section of the Bosworth median. I am working my way toward the final section at Bosworth and Diamond. Judging by how long this work took toady, I am not sure how soon this will happen.

The crew of 9 eager, bright faced, young, hard working people showed up today, ready to remove the Indian Hawthorns. A gigantic THANKS to the crew: Simi, Marcina, Erik, Johanna, Stanley, D, Vale, Arianna and Dennis !!

These over grown, under cared for and dying shrubs, were planted by DPW so long ago they were not hesitant to give the ok to remove them when asked. Thanks to a new partnership between SFPA, DPW, and Mission Neighborhood Centers (MNC, http://www.mncsf.org/) Julia at the Parks Alliance has this crew available to assist Park Stewards like myself. WOW!! I jumped on this faster than you can say germinate. You can request up to 12, and I did of course. The crew worked so hard and didn't think twice. I was impressed for sure.

DPW blocked two lanes for safety and the extraction began. Once the crew got a method going, the work plowed along. It is a difficult task to remove these shrubs as it is like an underground bramble of roots. It required, pry bars pickaxes and brut strength. Luckily, they brought all that with them today.

The debris was piled into the blocked lane an later collected by the truck (I think they call it the Green Packer- rather self explanatory right?. They swept, and were off for the day. They will return to finish the last remaining section thought to have been completed today. They think it will be Wednesday or Thursday to complete the section up to Brompton.

Perfect!

I then will beg Julia to send them out yet again for one more day removing Hawthorns form the last narrow section between Lippard and Chiltin Streets.

Not as dramatic as it looks on site, but before and after are below.