August 8 2026
Once again Dale Abrams has led a quick response to a problem plant! This year, a surprising population of white sweet clover has been challenging the recently planted Lake Mansfield shoreline restoration area, growing very tall and draping itself over recently planted trees, shrubs and perennials. White sweet clover is a nonnative plant that negatively impacts restoration plantings by outcompeting with native plants. It is allelopathic, meaning the roots release chemicals into the soil which can prevent the growth of native plants.
What to do??!! Call in the volunteers! It took 7 work sessions to save the day. Industrious stewards pulled and hauled great masses of white clover to be picked up and disposed by our GB DPW. The effort was strategically timed; the clover was removed before millions of seeds were released. Now native plants like blue vervain, showy tick-trefoil, common evening primrose can flourish!
Many thanks to the 12 industrious habitat stewards who participated and to the DPW for supporting this effort. Together these ambitious volunteers donated approximately 49 hours of service! LM Sweet
White Sweet Clover removal at Lake Mansfield (photos)
There’s always a need for more hands! If you would like to be added to our habitat stewardship team, email us at info@gbland.org.
