Rain, snow, mud, ice--nothing seems to slow down our deer and fence patrollers at Camp Polk Meadow Preserve! This small but mighty group of dedicated volunteers has been combating all sorts of conditions in order to keep a vigilant eye on the 2+ miles of fence line that was installed around our 113,000 native plants in the stream restoration project area. As a result, we've been able to keep a close watch on fence and plant conditions, deer behavior around the project area, and stream channel conditions. 
 
Almost every day of every week different volunteers are out hiking, observing, and reporting. Recents reports let us know about a stretch of fence that froze when a nearby vent showered the fence with water (only a problem when temperatures are below freezing). And volunteers Bob and Kay Norin found large paw prints and the remains of a deer near the project area, likely a sign of recent cougar activity. (Maybe we won't need that fence to keep out the deer after all!)
 
What started as a simple fence patrol program has evolved into an invaluable community contribution to our restoration efforts at Camp Polk Meadow. We are sincerely thankful for the time and energy these folks have committed. Their continuous patrolling has enabled us to manage many aspects of the project more efficiently and effectively.