Phase 1 Work Party Plan
Koulas Farm roadside boulder and entrance tree line
Saturday, 8:30 am to noon
Crew size: 5 to 8
No herbicide. All invasive mitigation by hand.
Purpose of Phase 1
Clear debris, vines, and dead wood so the historic daffodil plantings and the roadside boulder area look cared for and ready for future improvements. This is an invasive mitigation work party within the scope of Friends of Koulas Farm, with tools provided by COSS and volunteers working under Friends guidance. No town funds are required.
Work areas included
- Front of the large boulder to the road edge
- Behind the boulder along the parking lot side
- From the boulder toward the entrance, along the tree line where flowers are planted
What we will do in Phase 1
- Hand-remove vines and invasive growth where it is safe and practical
- Cut and remove dead wood and downed debris
- Light surface raking to expose the planted areas and clean up the bed surface
- Collect any litter or non-organic debris found during clearing
- Stage all removed material in the parking lot behind the boulder for later removal
What we will not do in Phase 1
- No herbicide, no chemical treatment of any kind
- No mulching, soil addition, or new edging in Phase 1
- No digging that disturbs bulbs or roots
- No overhead hazard work, no rigging, no tree felling
Roadside safety and traffic awareness
- Place safety cones within the work area along the roadside edge, not in the roadway
- Cones serve two purposes: alert drivers that people are present and signal that this is approved work
- No one works on the pavement. Keep all volunteers and tools on the land side
- Assign one volunteer as the road-aware spotter whenever anyone is working closest to the road
Material staging plan
Create two clearly separated piles in the parking lot behind the boulder
Pile A, burnable woody material
- Vines, brush, twigs, dead wood, small branches
Pile B, non-burnable trash
- Plastic, wire, glass, metal, treated wood, any unknown material
Keep both piles tight and neat, not spread out. Leave a clear lane for vehicle access.
Daffodils and site notes
- Daffodils are not native, but they are historic to this farm site and tie back to that history
- They are not invasive here and will not spread into the surrounding conservation land
- Protect bulbs by avoiding digging and by clipping vines instead of pulling when resistance is strong
Schedule: 8:30 am to noon
8:30 to 8:45 Arrival, sign-in, tool handout, quick walk-through of boundaries, cone placement, and pile locations
8:45 to 9:00 Safety briefing and team assignments
9:00 to 10:30 Main clearing, vines, dead wood, debris removal, staging
10:30 to 11:15 Detail clearing along the entrance tree line, light raking, final vine cleanup
11:15 to 11:45: Final pickup, tighten piles, remove trash, and restore clean edges visually
11:45 to noon: Group photo, tool count, quick recap, and next steps
Crew roles, sized for 5 to 8 people
Team 1, boulder front to road edge, 2 to 3 people
- Remove debris and vines, lightly rake, and protect flowers
- Keep work safely off the pavement edge
Team 2, behind the boulder to the parking lot, 2 to 3 people
- Pull and cut vines and brush, and remove dead wood
- Build and manage both staging piles
Team 3, entrance tree line flower strip, 1 to 2 people
- Precision clearing around flower plantings
- Clip vines, remove dead stems, and do light surface cleanup
Safety and work rules
- Road safety. Cones stay within the work area, not on the road. One spotter when working nearest the road.
- No hero pulls. If a vine resists, clip it at the base and move on.
- No digging. All work is surface to protect bulbs and roots.
- Gloves required. Eye protection is strongly recommended. Boots required.
Tools provided by COSS
- Hand pruners and loppers
- Rakes
- Flat shovels for debris scooping only, not digging
- Tarps or a wheelbarrow, if available, for moving vines and brush
- Contractor bags for non-burnable trash pile
- Safety cones for roadside visibility
Leadership and oversight
- Volunteers work under the guidance of Friends of Koulas Farm
- COSS provides tools and helps manage safe use and tool flow
- No town staff or town funds required for this phase
Possible future phases, informational only
These items are listed only to show a possible longer-term path. They might not happen. Any Phase 2 or Phase 3 work would be a new addition to the site and would be up to the Conservation Commission to review and approve, even though the intent is restoration of a historic part of the property.
Phase 2, possible enhancement
- Add mulch and soil as needed
- Add a low rock border in front of the large boulder to clearly define the main plantings
- Along the road, maintain a simple strip of mulch
Phase 3, possible planting plan for a fuller spring display
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There has been some understandable concern about adding non-native plants on town land
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One option is to keep the remaining historic daffodils that are already established, but transition any new planting toward native species instead of adding more daffodils
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If approved, the goal would be a fuller, intentional looking garden area that still respects the site, stays contained to the roadside strip, and does not spread into the interior of the property
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Any planting plan, whether bulbs or native plants, would be reviewed and approved by the Conservation Commission before anything moves forward
Short copy and paste volunteer blurb
Koulas Farm work party, Saturday 8:30 am to noon
Small crew, 5 to 8 people. Tools provided by COSS. Volunteers working under the guidance of Friends of Koulas Farm.
Phase 1 is simple invasive mitigation and cleanup by hand only. No herbicide.
We will clear debris, vines, and dead wood from the roadside boulder area, behind the boulder along the parking lot, and along the entrance tree line where flowers are planted.
All vines and dead wood will be stacked in the parking lot behind the boulder for removal. Non-burnable items go in a separate pile.
For safety, cones will be placed within the work area along the roadside edge to alert drivers and show this is approved work.
Gloves and boots are required. Eye protection is recommended.
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