Invasive Phragmites is widespread in our region. We unfortunately have a few patches on the Merry Lea property.

One of the most effective times to treat this plant with herbicide is after the flowers form. However, this is when Phragmites is at its tallest, sometimes reaching over 12 feet in height! Typically, flowering occurs late August to mid September.

To treat the Phragmites, we will use our 2-person herbicide wick. This consists of two people pushing a 10-foot pole through a stand of Phragmites. It's quite arduous work, done on uneven terrain, but it is both very effective and causes very little unintentional damage to native vegetation.

Because the 2-person wick requires 2 people who really want to use this method, we'll schedule these sessions on an "as interested" basis. Want to learn more about this activity?

To express interest, please reach out to Freya at freyakb@goshen.edu.

Help Merry Lea collect native seeds for use in restoration projects throughout the property! No experience necessary. We'll go over how to tell when seeds are ripe and what we'll do with them after collection.

Registration required. Meeting location will be determined a few days before this event based on where the greatest need is at that time. Freya will contact you via email with those details. Clippers, buckets, and gloves will be available for volunteers to use.

Please also bring drinking water and anything else you think you may need during this activity. This is a great activity for adults and families with children ages 10 and up!

Dates:
- September 11, 5:30pm-7:30pm (Thursday)
- September 17, 2:00pm-4:00pm (Wednesday)
- September 18, 5:30pm-7:30pm (Thursday)
- September 23, 2:00pm-4:00pm (Tuesday)
- September 30, 2:00pm-4:00pm (Tuesday)
- October 1, 5:30pm-7:30pm (Thursday)
- October 9, 5:30pm-7:30pm (Thursday)
- October 14, 2:00pm-4:00pm (Tuesday)
- October 16, 5:30pm-7:30pm (Thursday)
- October 22, 2:00pm-4:00pm (Wednesday)
- October 23, 5:30pm-7:30pm (Thursday)
- October 29, 2:00pm-4:00pm (Wednesday)

- Animals: The most essential part of the experience for our guests! As an animal, you are what they are here to see! Take on the persona of a frog, mouse, owl, or more and interact with the guests from the perspective of that animal! Field questions, and engage with the audience in an educational and run environment.

- Trail Guides: One of the main facilitators of the experience for our guests on the trail. Trail guides create an atmosphere of curiosity and wonder by encouraging interaction with the animals. You will be carrying a kerosene lantern along the path. Training will be provided that evening to help equip you for the enchanted evening ahead.

- Parking: Parking is an essential part of Enchanted Forest as you are the first to welcome and greet visitors to Merry Lea, help them find a safe (and correct) place to park and guide them to the registration station.

- *Animal Care: Animal Caretakers are responsible for making sure the animals are well cared for out on the trails. This involves taking them out on the trail drinks (hot cocoa or water), snacks, and being as sneaky as you can be to avoid trail groups.

- Costume Consultant: The Costume Consultant has the responsibility of making sure all the animals are costumed properly before they interact with visitors at Enchanted Forest. This would be great for someone who is detail oriented and is willing to get creative when the need arises.

- Tickets/Registration: Tickets, Tickets, get your tickets here! Greet quests as they arrive, take their cash payments while helping them get assigned into a group for their enchanted evening. Work alongside Merry Lea staff at this fast- paced table

- Refreshments: Apples, Popcorn, Hot Cocoa, Oh my! One of the most important tasks as our guests prepare for, or return from their enchanted hike. Help serve up fresh apples, popcorn, and hot cocoa for folks to enjoy around the picnic tables or campfire.

- *Coloring/Activity Table: This task helps kids rind a run coloring sheet of some animals they are likely to encounter out on the trail. They can grab one with some crayons to help keep them entertained out on the trail. This also involves going around and picking up supplies to bring them back to the main table as folks leave for and from their hike.

- *Campfire Attendant: Enjoy building and keeping a fire going? Love to tell family friendly campfire stories? This task helps keep two campfires going all evening for folks of all ages to enjoy safely.

- Sound: Do you enjoy making people sound better? This task helps our entertainment/musicians sound great for our quests throughout the night. experience with working a soundboard is preferred.

- Floater: Are you someone who thrives on doing many different tasks? Enjoy moving around and staying busy? Willing to troubleshoot or try new things on a moment’s notice? This job is for you! Work alongside a Merry Lea staff member as we float around to do whatever needs to be done!

Fire is an integral component of many ecosystems found in NE Indiana, including some at Merry Lea! We incorporate fire into our land management planning for a variety of reasons.

Join Merry Lea's Natural Resources Manager Freya Berntson, and Blue Heron Ministries Restoration Ecologist John Brittenham, for an indoor training session to learn about the history, ecology, and methodology of prescribed burning in our region.

We'll discuss why and how prescribed fire is conducted at Merry Lea and other similar sites in the region.

This training will offer a good foundation for understanding the big picture of prescribed fire. It is highly recommended to attend this training if you would like to volunteer for prescribed fire events, but not required.

- October 30, 5pm-8pm (Thursday)

To register, email Freya at freyakb@goshen.edu.