Garlic Mustard at Hone Quarry: Beat It and Eat It! |
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Who: Anyone who loves native spring wildflowers
Date: Sat., April 13, 2024 Time: 10 am - 2 pm Where: Hone Quarry Picnic Area. Map Limit: 30 people We are going to beat Garlic mustard by pulling it, and then we are going to eat Garlic mustard pesto! And best of all, we are going to view native wildflowers growing in the Hone Quarry area. Hone Quarry is a special place on Shenandoah Mountain, alive with all kinds of wildflowers, butterflies, and natural beauty. It even has a beautiful waterfall. The Hone Quarry area is one of Shenandoah Mountain's treasures. |
Registration is closed as of April 8.
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Unfortunately, the invasive Garlic mustard plant is moving into the Hone Quarry area and threatening special wildflowers, like bloodroot, hepatica, and trilliums, that generations of people have come to Hone Quarry to enjoy. This invasive plant out-competes our native plants — both by growing vigorously and by poisoning the soil. It can take over a forest floor in less than a decade, killing not only native plants but also the native butterflies that rely on them. Garlic mustard was brought to this country from Europe by people who wanted to grow it as an herb, not realizing how fast it would spread and how destructive it would be. We can't let it ruin our native biodiversity!
See: Blue Ridge Prism Handout on Garlic Mustard - https://blueridgeprism.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Garlic-Mustard-Fact-Sheet-Blue-Ridge-PRISM.pdf |
Pulling garlic mustard along Hone Quarry Rd. in 2023. Photo by Lynn Cameron
Fortunately, pulling Garlic mustard is easy and effective, especially in the Spring, before it flowers or produces seed.
Friends of Shenandoah Mountain is joining together with PATC's Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter and Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew; Virginia Native Plant Society, Shenandoah Chapter; Virginia Master Naturalists - Headwaters Chapter; and the Virginia Wilderness Committee to rid Hone Quarry of this destructive invasive plant and protect the native biodiversity of this special place.
Please come and help us out and taste some Garlic mustard pesto.
Note: We never pull or dig any native plants in the National Forest. We are allowed to pull Garlic mustard because it is a harmful invasive plant. Everyone will be trained to identify Garlic mustard.
Friends of Shenandoah Mountain is joining together with PATC's Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter and Shenandoah Mountain Trail Crew; Virginia Native Plant Society, Shenandoah Chapter; Virginia Master Naturalists - Headwaters Chapter; and the Virginia Wilderness Committee to rid Hone Quarry of this destructive invasive plant and protect the native biodiversity of this special place.
Please come and help us out and taste some Garlic mustard pesto.
Note: We never pull or dig any native plants in the National Forest. We are allowed to pull Garlic mustard because it is a harmful invasive plant. Everyone will be trained to identify Garlic mustard.
Hone Quarry Picnic Shelter. Photo by Lynn Cameron
What to bring: Bring daypack with water, snacks, sun hat, sunscreen, raincoat, mosquito repellant, and garden gloves.
What to expect: Our goal for this worktrip is to pull Garlic mustard in several key areas and have fun while we are doing it. We will start by dividing into small groups (each trained and led by a naturalist), to pull in these areas:
Questions? Contact Jean Stephens at [email protected] or 443-986-5649.
What to expect: Our goal for this worktrip is to pull Garlic mustard in several key areas and have fun while we are doing it. We will start by dividing into small groups (each trained and led by a naturalist), to pull in these areas:
- Hone Quarry Picnic Area (easy access and short distance, includes area around restroom)
- Hone Quarry Campground (walk through the campground and pull)
- Forest Road 62 from the low water bridge to the Reservoir (good wildflowers here, too)
- Forest Road 62 and Slate Springs Trail from Hone Quarry Reservoir to Hone Quarry Falls (4.3 miles round trip with a wide variety of wildflowers)
Questions? Contact Jean Stephens at [email protected] or 443-986-5649.