February 18, 2004
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Open long grass meadows, and neatly managed plots of trees at Schenck's Island are how town officials and conservation groups envision the future of the park. Starting soon, a three-year campaign to remove non-invasive species and many trees will turn the wooded and bramble-filled area into an open space closely approximating this artist's rendering. —Teresa Mucci drawing.
By JEFF YATES | Staff Writer
Starting at the south end of the park on River Road, near Ogden House, and slowly moving northward over the next three years, a crew will be removing trees and non-native invasive species in an aggressive program to return the 17-acre park to open meadows, which existed there when the town purchased the land in 1961. "They are removing everything except for some choice trees in the inland area," said Pat Sesto, the town's director of environmental affairs. The current plan calls for the removal of a large percentage of the trees and brushy vegetation in the park, and allowing native grasses and other plants to take over. A 100-foot buffer strip along the Norwalk River, which runs along the perimeter of the park, will be left to protect the riparian zone. Some da trees may be removed from that area, said Ms. Sesto. To the east, a strip of trees will be left and more may be planted to screen out the view of the railroad tracks.
The possible uses of Schenck's Island has been a point of much discussion in reent years. Proposals have ranged from basketball and volleyball courts, a post office or railroad station, and even talk of affordable housing being built at the site. |
A joint effort between the town and the Wilton Land Conservation Trust, which owns the southernmost three acres of the land, the project seeks to restore some of the open space habitat that has been lost in town over the years. Ms. Sesto said the Schenck's land in particular was especially susceptible to the invasive species growth, because it was acquired by the town at a time when those plants began taking root in the area, and was allowed to grow unabated for decades. In recent years there have been many cleanup operations run at the park, focusing on removing the invasive species, but none has been as ambitious in size or scope, according to Ms. Sesto. She said the extensive work on the park could potentially be a short-term eyesore, but would be well worth it upon completion. "It's going to be different, it's going to be a mess, but it will look great when it gets finished," she said.
According to Ms. Sesto there are many benefits to this action, both ecologically and socially. "There are many who are displeased with the way Schenck's looks," she said, adding that the park, being located in the center of the town, has a high volume of traffic, and is one of the hardest to maintain.The impact of the project will be beneficial primarily due to the removal of 17 acres of invasive species, and will also provide a habitat for various plants and animals adapted to life in open meadows, said Ms. Sesto. The costs of the project, which will be staged, will be covered by both the town and the Land Trust. Ms. Sesto said the Land Trust will be applying for grants to help cover some of the expenses, and will also be working on fund-raising. Ms. Sesto did not have the project cost numbers on hand at the time of this interview, but said individual residents can help offset some of the costs by purchasing the wood being removed from the park. One resident has already requested the Black Locust wood for a deck project, she said.
For information on purchasing wood from the park, residents need to call Ms. Sesto at the office of Conservation and Wetlands before Feb. 26. The phone number is 203-563-0180.
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