The Alevin Explorers arrived at Connelly Creek ready for a day of service. Basking in the sun the boys roamed the creek and navigated it like they were connecting with an old friend. After we all arrived we traveled over to the site and the boys were shocked at Connelly Creek’s transformation from all of the fall service outings. The mentors explained that they were the last group to come out and do service for the season. Their task was to make sure the site was in order for the coming winter and to continue removing the Blackberries at the back of the property.
Touring the site the mentors went over the work that had been done this season. Together the other Explorers had: cleared the previously mulched area of blackberries so Bellingham Parks Department could deliver more mulch, stomped down and trimmed the Reed-Canary Grass on the entire site, spread mulch in the treed area south of the mulch site, planted shrubs in the Alder grove, removed blackberries from all over the site, and also planted Red Alders and caged them with poles, wires, ties, cardboard, and mulch. What an amazing group effort by the Explorers!
After going over some tool safety we got to work. It was great to connect with the Alevin as we trimmed and dug side by side. They are growing and maturing right before our eyes. The boys laughed and joked together as they slowly got caught up in the tangles of the blackberry canes. They are developing sarcasm and satire in their humor and it was hilarious to see them enjoying ridiculing one another if they used a tools in the wrong way or did something foolish. Each season these boy’s bonds grow deeper and they’re becoming allies for one another. These deeply rooted connections will become very important as they enter into middle school and beyond. They will need friends to laugh with, to cry with, to make mistakes, and to rejoice with. Our aim as mentors is for them to realize that they have strong allies in each other and in the land. Also that they can get together with their community and find natural spaces to process this busy and confusing society we live in.
Digging Blackberry roots is an exhausting process and soon we needed to take a break to eat lunch. We laid back on the mulch pile and looked up at the blue sky. It’s in situations like these when I realize that we are not only healing Connelly Creek, it is healing us. I witness the boy’s nervous energy and busy minds slow down when they serve the land and they’re able to just be. Once we were nourished and hydrated we got back to work. Each time the boys pulled out a blackberry root they let out a triumphant yell. These were by far the biggest blackberry roots that I have ever seen! Some root balls were up to four inches in diameter
We worked for another hour and it became clear that we all needed a second break. Brian and I decided that it was time for a sit spot. We wandered over to a different section of the creek and the boys spread out over the land. Just as we were about to start I noticed a few of the boys grouped together staring at something intently. I went over to them and saw a ten point buck twenty feet away from us. Brian and I gathered the other boys and we shared a group sit spot watching the buck guard a doe hiding in the bushes. We were all captivated and sat in silence.
Observing, we saw the deer munching on a large shrub, and we wondered which kind it was. The deer provided such a great lesson about staying still and in quiet observation. Every time a boy would talk or move the buck would raise his head and look at us. Eventually the deer heard something off in the bushes and they left, grazing in another direction. The group wandered over to the bush that the deer had been eating and discovered that it was a Black Twinberry. This was one of the shrubs that we had been planting on the other side of the property! It was so empowering for the boys to know that the fruits of our labor were really showing. Our actions were directly benefitting this land and all of its inhabitants. Exploring the area we found scat, abundant deer rubs on saplings, and all sorts of tracks.
Wandering back over to the site the boys were filled with new energy and we played a few rounds of
Tail Tag. Picking up our tools again we had a strong finish, doing one last push on the blackberries while cutting and bagging them so the Parks Department could pick them up. Packing up our stuff we gathered in the grass field for a closing circle. The boys gave thanks for the chance to serve the land and for it revealing to us that it was in fact a wilderness right in our backyards. They also gave thanks for friends, food, and the warmth of this sunny day. It was truly a pleasure to serve Connelly Creek with the Alevin Explorers. These boys are bright, caring, observant, goofy, playful, powerful, and exactly where they need to be. The Mentors would like to that all of the Explorers for their work this season. With 151 Explorers, mentors, EMA’s, and volunteers putting in 604 hours of service in just four weeks
Our Cup Overflows and the our mentoring community is deeply humbled by the power and strength of the Boys EC. We would also like to give thanks to Bellingham Parks Department and Nooksack Salmon Enhancement for all their support and guidance over the season.
For more pictures from the outing please visit the Alevin Explorers
photo gallery.
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