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Reprinted from The Forecaster

Islanders Have Bittersweet Experience
TINKER CLEAN-UP CREW: David Adams, Jim & Marjorie Dawson, Bill & Linda Hoffman, Sharon & Vinny Fuerst, Deb Serino, Michael Murray, Ross Kendrick, Cay Kendrick, Josh Royte, Dan & Matt Goodwin, Bill Auger, Bill & Nancy Gregory, John Erkknen, Andy & Lisa Sanford, Don Hamalainen, Carey Trimble, Dave Jones

YARMOUTH Despite having such a bittersweet experience, those involved were apparently quite happy. About 25 community members spent three hours last Saturday clearing most of the bittersweet vine from stone walls, around trees and other areas throughout nearly two acres of the Tinker Property on Cousins Island. " It will be an ongoing project that we need to do to keep bittersweet from taking over again," said Sharon Fuerst, member of the Cousins and Little John Islands Improvement Association, who sits on the ssociation's Bittersweet Committee.

"The Tinker Property was left to the town with the restriction that it be used for educational purposes and be maintained as a conservation area," Fuerst said. Bill Hoffman, who spearheaded the project, said "a survey of islanders showed that removal of the vine ranked quite high."
As the first step in the removal process, Marcia Noyes Director of Yarmouth Community Services helped the association by funding Lucas Tree Experts to cut back most of the vines, but the job of addressing the hard-to-reach spots fell to volunteers."

Each year the town will cut it with a brush cutter and we¹ll do the trimming," said Hoffman, remarking that about four to six years from now the situation should be under control. While a small amount of the bittersweet will remain for those wanting to use it for Christmas decorations, Hoffman mentioned, "we just feel this invasive vine needs to be removed to preserve the native species.." The town will soon pick up the remaining brush left by the crew.

" Everybody had a good time, and the weather was absolutely perfect for it," Hoffman said.