Help us restore Blain Farm!

On March 25th TTLT will be doing a second round of livestaking at Blain Farm! We invite volunteers to join us on this adventure to enhance the constructed wetlands.

What is livestaking?

Livestaking is a bioengineering technique intended to increase woody vegetation along the edges of wetlands, creeks, and rivers. This is done by taking cuttings of specific tree and shrub species, like Dogwood, in late winter and inserting the "live stakes" into the soil. With proper species selection and adequate moisture, these live stakes will take root and mature into beautiful trees and shrubs.

Why choose livestaking?

Livestaking is simple and inexpensive with moderate to high success rates. Often live stakes can be collected from the surrounding area, minimizing or eliminating the need to purchase materials. While rooted plants often establish quicker than live stakes, the effects of animal browsing and plant mortality are less impactful due to lower initial costs. Additionally, woody plants rooted from cuttings tend to mature and produce seeds earlier than individuals started from seed.

What to expect:

The event will consist of some live stake collection with the majority of time spent on installation. Live stake installation will be concentrated around the constructed wetlands in the farm field. TTLT staff will provide training on species selection, identification, collection processes, and installation techniques.