Introduction to Service at Sehome Arboretum with the Roosevelt Elk Calves

Driving up the road to Sehome Arboretum it was clear that fall was in the air. As we gathered the Roosevelt Elk Calves practically jumped out of their parent’s cars from their eagerness and excitement to playSpider’s Web. Yes, it seems as though for the last two weeks the Explorers had been plagued by their inability to play Spider’s Web. As we circled up we asked if anyone had observed anything out of the ordinary while driving up the road. A few Explorers mentioned that they had seen others doing invasive species removal and service projects. Greg and I told the group that it was very exciting to see others out engaging in service on this same piece of land, as the Explorers would come to find out Many Hands Make Light Work. After playing a guessing game and doing some impromptu mushroom identification the group headed up the hill just above the sandstone tunnel. We walked the ridgeline and played on the formations until we found a beautiful spot to have an opening meeting. Just as I started to call the group in Greg called Hide, everyone went diving into the bushes.

Circling back up we began our opening meeting by recognizing the changing season. From our position on the ridgeline is was easy to see the abundant piles of Big Leaf Maple leaves that scattered the forest floor, adding their beautiful yellow and orange color to the landscapes scenery.  Last outing we discovered that colors that don’t blend into the landscape really stand out in games like Spiders Web.  Touching back to the Art of Camouflage, Mentors looked at the red, yellow and orange colors the boys were wearing and explained how these colors could be a hindrance in one location and could also be great asset elsewhere.  The Mentors left it up to the Explorers to explain and volunteer for each of the jobs. They also flushed out all the safety concerns that Sehome Arboretum might harbor, for example the large sandstone cliffs just behind us. Before we broke our circle the Explorers requested that we go to the tower. Greg and I told the group that we could go at the end of the outing, but first we had some important work to do. Sitting in the brisk, foggy air we started to get a little chilly and the Explorers were eager to get moving.   While the group played Hide on the ridgeline one of the Mentors snuck down the trail, out of sight of the group. As the Explorers emerged from the Snowberry and Indian Plum Greg asked, “Wait, where is Steve?” Just then the Explorers heard the call of a lone wolf. Greg explained that they had become a pack of wolves and that they needed to track the lone wolf in order to unite the pack. Listening to the distant howl the Explorers ran after the wolf. After a few of them had found the lone wolf the pack heard the Crow Call from Greg and they gathered back up. Greg explained to the pack that they had all ran across a six way trail intersection and had split in three different directions. The Mentors had forgotten to touch on one very important detail before we playedWolf Pack, the pack must stay together. This ensures that we travel safely and that we have all our important jobs represented in case something was to happen. Having recognized our need for cohesion and community, Mentors found that this was the perfect segue into the work that we were to do that day.

We followed a trail that lead down the west facing aspect of Sehome Hill and found a patch of young English Ivy. We dropped our packs and Mentors instructed the group to look at both sides of the trail and notice the differences. One side had a forest floor comprised of primarily Salal and English Ivy while the other held a much richer diversity of Red Huckleberry, Swords Ferns, and Oregon Grape, among others. English Ivy is well adapted to the mild Pacific Northwest climate; it grows all year round in Western Washington and can out-compete many other species. Mentors explained that diversity is key to having stability in our wild landscapes and within its food chain, and since we are a part of the landscape our stability is tied directly to these principles.  In Explorers Club we serve not only to insure our stability, we also serve because the land and its biotic community intrinsically hold value and share the gift of life. As the Explorers serve the landscape they will come to realize that they are interdependent with a much larger community and it is their service and commitment to that community that will cultivate and hone them into leaders that guide with integrity and compassion.

Grabbing a leaf the Mentors showed the group how to identify and get to know this plant. English Ivy can have three to five lobes on its leathery leaves but it can also be un-lobed depending on the sub-species. The Ivy’s alternate branching structure first spreads out over the forest floor. Once roots have established themselves they slowly climb up plants and trees, eventually pollinating after a few years. English Ivy damages the structural integrity of the trees, slowly suffocating and exposing them to rot. Its matted root system also causes erosion.

After this long discussion we got to pulling. First we worked to free the Douglas Fir trees that had Ivy growing almost to the top. Working together we picked the Ivy out of the deep bark and cleared a perimeter around its base by pulling the roots out. As we pulled the boys quickly developed the ability to recognize the difference between Washington’s native Trailing Blackberry and English Ivy, ouch! We stressed the importance of extracting the Ivy and piling it on the trail so the parks department could pick it up. English Ivy has the ability to take root from a single leaf, which makes it very easy to spread.  Working side by side with the Explorers is such a treat. The boys made a challenge of trying to pull the longest vine of Ivy that they could without it breaking; I believe the record was twenty-three feet. The Explorers served with excellent attitudes and put a lot of effort in.

After one last push on the English Ivy we scooped up their packs and they headed down the trail for Spider’s Web and the tower. The Mentors called the group back in and they had some difficulty focusing their minds. After doing their service it was important for the group to recognize what we were just engaged in and how we had served.  Greg and I asked the group, “Was our intention today was to kill the Ivy?” and some replied “yes”. Mentors explained that our intention should not be to kill, but to work towards restoring balance and diversity in the landscape.

 The group followed a side trail on their way back up to the tower and found a steep valley laden with Sword Fern. It was the perfect stop to play a quick game of Spider’s Web. By the time the game ended we had run out of time to go to the tower and we quickly circled up for a closing meeting.  Sharing apples together the Explorers gave thanks for: the opportunity to serve their community, the misty fall weather, the developing relationships and for Sehome Arboretum. Their introduction to service was a powerful outing that they will not soon forget. Don’t forget to check out pics of the day in our photo gallery.