Before we started

Much of the property was completely overrun with Himalayan blackberries.The 'sticks' hanging down in the tree are actually old dead previously cut blackberry canes that had earlier overtaken the tree, some 10 to 12 feet high.

We also had several large beds of invasive English ivy.

Here’s a wider-angle view of the extent of the blackberry infestation.

There were some native plants peeking out, usually under the tree canopy, where the blackberries were not as thick.

Day of Caring 2011

The Day of Caring crew from Microsoft developed a “chop and roll” method for removing large chunks of blackberry canes.

They used large tarps to haul bunches of canes away and not get scratched.

We also discovered asphalt debris, chunks of concrete, and household appliances on the hillside.

This event marked the beginning of the first major wave of re-planting, using only native species.

2012

Compare this to the first photo in the first group. After one Day of Caring session, the area looked much better, but some of the blackberries grew back.

This is the same area as the previous photo, from the opposite direction.

Even with some blackberry plants returning, the native species were starting to re-appear.

We have had to be especially careful when removing invasive species from steep hillsides. We use downed trees and burlap to hold soil in place.