NOON TRAVERSE AROUND
BUCKINGHAM POND PARK.

1. Within the next 20 or so days, while
we have snow cover , temperatures are
below freezing and tick problems at
a minimum, the following should occur

* Remove dead or fallen trees and dead
tree branches that overhang pathways
and children's play area.

Many of the old growth cottonwoods
are in decline. For example, two over-
hanging the path at the foot of Lenox
South shore pose a hazard to hikers.

March winds will soon be here.

* Remove (cut) vines that are strangling
trees, so that the trees may grow to
maturity. This is most needed South
shore and West End of pond park

* Cut brush and saplings from around
desireable young trees so that they may
mature. Most needed South shore
in particular, the around the young
conifers on the dredging fill site, Rafts Way
between Colonial and Milner.

2. Excessive road salt dumping is in
evidence Pond North shore and South
shore between Euclid and Lenox. This
kills vegetation and adds to pond water
quality decline.

3. Dog droppings are on paths everywhere.
A disease/parasite hazard to adults, children
and pets.
Pick up after your dog(s). Feed them less
and better quality food to reduce waste piles.

4. Select (mark) sites for planting new trees
and water/salt tolerant shrubs to counter
shore slumping, shore erosion and pond
in filling. Particularly, North shore, frpm
Colonial to Euclid, East End, and South shore
Euclid to Lenox.
Use wood stakes with green tips for conifers
orange tips for deciduous trees and blue tips
for water tolerant trees (like willows) and water
tolerant shrubs like Red Osier Dogwood,

Planting time of replacement trees and
shrubs in April.

Get tree stock from City tree program.
Also, Albany and neighboring
County Soil and Water Conservation units
offer tree/shrub stock and wildflower seeds.
The sales occur in late March to early May.

5. Select and prep wildflower sites. Some
seeds sown this Spring will bloom this year
but most next year and thereafter.

6. Obtain and spread coarse blue stone
and resurface pathways after snow/ice
melt, but before paths become muddy and
slippery.

These are but a few things to do to get the
park in shape for Spring.

Much more to follow.

Who is going to do all this work?

Ideally, the City of Albany, with
perhaps the 30 or so interested
residents who showed up at the
organizational meeting of the
would be Buckingham Pond
Conservancy on 1/24/09 and
those who show at the follow up
meeting this week or next at a
yet to be announced location.

Joe Sullivan