Earth Day and Spring Clean at Governor's Island, OH.

Bro. Bill Schlosser, SM, from the Marianist Community at Governor's Island, OH, sends us this update.

The Marianist community at Governor’s Island marked Earth Day 2023 by continuing its practice of planting trees. This year we planted two Snow Fountain Weeping Cherry trees and a Wisconsin Weeping Willow.

In previous years we have planted a total of eight Earth Day trees: four pear trees, two willow trees, and two maple trees. At other times of the year, we have planted four fruit trees, oak trees, redbud trees, and a maple tree, as well as hawthorn, crab apple, pine locust, and buckeye seedlings.

The trees complement the wildflower–pollinator area in the front of the property which we set aside about four years ago. Some of the flowers in the area are plants from MEEC. At the same time, others are the plants that spring up when we do not mow this section of lawn. Mixed among the flowers and ‘weeds’ are tree seedlings from the acorns, walnuts, and hickory nuts that the squirrels bury and sprout the next spring.

The Saturday after Earth Day, the community revived the Spring Clean event. Before the Covid disruptions, on the last Saturday in April, Governor’s Island invited friends in to help us clean up after the ravages of winter. These about twenty friends came to help us trim bushes, plant flowers around the St. Francis Mosaic at the edge of the wildflower – pollinator area, fill low spots in the lawn, sew grass seeds, wash windows, clean the pontoon boat, and clean the chapel. We ended the day with lunch prepared by Brother Don Smith.

From left to right: Planting Snow Fountain Weeping Cherry Tree, the St. Francis Mosaic after the work to prepare the flower bed and plant new flowers, and lunch shared in the dining room.