“Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets, but humbler folk may circumvent this restriction if they know how. To plant a pine, for example, one need be neither god nor poet; one need only own a good shovel.” — Aldo Leopold, Pines Above the Snow, A Sand County Almanac
Habitat restoration is the “process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed”. — Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) International Science & Policy Working Group, 2004
Well, the Conservancy has “humbler folk”, and we certainly have “an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged ….” in the Hilltop Reservation — so we’re all set! Seriously, restoring wildlife habitat is not rocket science, but it does require both persistence and patience to undo centuries of human use and abuse. That, and really good (free) technical advice from the biologists and forest ecologists at the Fish & Wildlife Service and the Invasive Species Strike Team, as well as heavy equipment assistance from Grove Landscaping, the Verona DPW and Essex County (see our Partners page).
Continuing with our stewardship ethic, and the priorities outlined in our Ecological Assessment, the Hilltop Conservancy has initiated these large-scale habitat restoration projects:
Contact us if you need more information, or (even better), if you would like to help!