Volunteers begin clearing the invasive understory surrounding Pin Oak pool. Photo by Lorna Dock

Most of the JK Black Oak work days have taken place in the oak-hickory forest or the adjacent meadow. However, on the April 5 work day we began working on the restoration  the Pin Oak vernal pool in a secondary forest on the south side of the property.  This pool is named for the Pin Oaks (Quercus palustris) growing in the pool, which is usually full of water this time of year.

Gerco demonstrates how to attach chain from the tractor.
Photo by Lorna Dock

The understory of the forest surrounding the pool is dominated by invasive Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) shrubs. The first phase of the project is to remove the shrubs and other invasives in an area measuring approximately 100 by 200 feet.  Armed with shovels, loppers, a weed wrench plus the tractor, the 16 volunteers cleared the area after several hours of hard work. The smallest Autumn Olives could be removed by by manually pulling or digging them.  The weed wrench was used to pull larger shrubs.  The largest shrubs were pulled out using the tractor or cut down for later removal. The large brush piles that were created will provide habitat for wildlife. The transformation is nothing sort of astonishing.

The pool is also surrounded by many Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), another invasive that is the host tree for the Spotted Lanternfly. Most of these trees were treated with herbicide last year and appeared to be dead. Once we’ve confirmed that they are dead, we will cut them down before beginning the second phase of the project: installing a deer exclusion fence around the vernal pool basin in June and July. The final phase will be to plant 100 native trees and shrubs inside the fence in the fall.

Throughout 2025, we’ll be working on restoring two vernal pools at JK Black Oak. The restoration is made possible with funding provided by a grant from Microsoft in collaboration with the Society for Ecological Restoration.

To protect the environmentally sensitive habitat and rare species, JK Black Oak Wildlife Sanctuary is not open for general public access.

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