Pepper Tree Punishment at The Farm (Sarasota County Schools)

Join us for another ORE Habitat Restoration Unit event! We will be cutting and treating Pepper Trees at The Farm [https://www.sarasotacountyschools.net/page/the-farm]. We’re partnering with the facility's operators to remove invasive Brazilian pepper trees that have taken over parts of the site. Our crew will use Milwaukee hatchets [https://www.milwaukeetool.com/products/details/m18-fuel-hatchet-8-pruning-saw-tool-only/3004-20] to stump-cut small pepper trees [https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/habitat/invasive-plants/weed-alerts/brazillian-pepper/] and treat the stumps with Garlon [https://www.agrian.com/pdfs/Garlon_4_Ultra1p_Label.pdf]. We’ll provide: * Safety training for proper use of Milwaukee hatchets (and all required PPE) * Instruction on identifying invasive plants * Guidance on correct stump-treatment techniques What to wear: Please come prepared with closed-toe boots or sturdy shoes, long pants, and long sleeves. We’ll be moving through dense brush to reach the pepper trees. By the end of the event, we’ll have helped protect the diverse native plant community that supports wildlife at the preserve—and you’ll gain hands-on experience in identifying and removing several invasive species.