Mugging the Mugwort! Invasive species removal from Audubon Center at Bent of the River. Mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris) is one of many, many invasive species that are choking out native plants, lowering biodiversity, and reducing habitat that supports our birds and other wildlife.
CITO cachers can earn their souvenir by pulling out one full bag of mugwort from the cache site and dumping it into the dump truck at the Barn visitor center (we'd love to see pictures of your success!). Cachers should park at the Visitor parking lot anytime on the 24th from sunrise to sunset and walk up any of the trails, I suggest the river trail through the visitor kiosk and along the boardwalk, to the Barn Visitor Center which will not be staffed, but will be open. THERE IS NO FEE TO VISIT. Inside will be a table with garbage bags, maps of the trails, other educational information, and restroom / water facilities. Cachers can take a bag (or two!) to the cache site in Althea's Meadow and pull, pull, pull! After the bags are full, please bring them back to the barn and throw the bags into the dump truck outside of the restroom facilities on the south side of the barn. Hazards to be cautious of include poison ivy, stinging nettles, and of course, ticks (please do a check afterward!)
Update: When venturing to the cache site, do NOT follow the arrows that have been placed on the trails! They have been put their for a trail 5K the following Sunday.
Cachers are welcome to explore other trails, the barn, gardens, fields, the birding balcony (shade, chairs, binoculars provided), or just dip a toe in the Pomperaug River. While here, check out the devious caches from "3plusclub" Got Wood?? and Culvert Operations #05031, as well as the Cinderella Series by "greeneyedlady" across or down the street from the visitor parking area.