Sun, Feb 16 2020 - Leisurely Afternoon Hike at Frazier-Rowe Park & Briarlake Forest (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Charlie Cottingham Participants: Charlie Cottingham, Elena L, Teo, Allan, David O, Esther, Jean, Vili, Alla, Ed, Carol Reinlie, Shir K.

We had a fine time together on this adventurous "double-header" hike and were thankful to have comfortable dry weather despite an overcast sky.  After exploring Frazier-Rowe Park and its adjoining Coralwood Nature Preserve we enjoyed an additional hour at nearby Briarlake Forest where we were among the first visitors to hike a couple of nice newly opened trails.  Along the way we stopped often to discuss the beautiful native flora & fauna and also the remaining invasive non-native vines and shrubs.  "Friends of the Parks" volunteer groups are doing a good job controlling the most aggressive "foreign intruders,"  esp. English ivy, Chinese privet and Japanese kudzu & thorny olive (a.k.a. elaeagnus).  In a remote corner of Briarlake Forest it's exciting to see the recent planting of American Chestnut tree hybrid seedlings that will be resistant to the historic "blight" that killed millions of our huge chestnuts in the early 1900s. - Submitted by Charlie