EcoPel's Vine Squad

The cleanup where the EcoPel Vine Squad hosted a volunteer event at took place at the corner of Wolf Lane and Colonial Avenue, across from the Pelham Library. Victoria, from the Hutchinson River Restoration Project (HRRP) attended the event and worked alongside Tai and Anna of the EcoPel Vine Squad. The group focused on clearing trash from the area, removing invasive vines, and adding to an existing dead hedge to better delineate the location of a vernal pool.

During the cleanup, representatives from the Department of Transportation (DoT) stopped by. Tai and Anna introduced Juan from the DoT, with whom they regularly coordinate on restoration projects. The group discussed the possibility of mulching two trees that had been marked for removal, which could help create defined paths around the vernal pool and nearby pollinator patch. Tai also mentioned a Pelham-based company that manages the town’s mulching and recycling services, noting that mulch is sometimes made available to the public. Juan added that the DoT operates a mulch site in Mamaroneck and that mulch could potentially be provided for HRRP projects with proper coordination. He explained that his DoT service corridor along the Hutchinson Parkway runs from Mamaroneck to the Bronx border.

By the end of the event, two bags of trash had been removed from the site. The boundaries of the vernal pool were more clearly defined, and the dead hedge had been expanded and strengthened, helping to further protect the area.