On Saturday, Nov. 18, Athens Conservancy held a work session at Gillett Pond. Hidden away in the Mary Beth Zak Lohse Preserve, this small pond is a beautiful destination for a picnic or a jaunt off the beaten paths at Strouds Run. Workers included Land Steward Bill Rucker, Assistant Land Steward Roni Clark, and board members Sam Gutekanst, Chris O’Bara, and Phil Cantino, as well as volunteer Zach Barsamian.
The day’s work included planting spicebush, a native shrub that would be common by the pond banks had the area not been taken over long ago by invasives. This process involves planting the seedlings, watering them in, and marking them with an orange flag. Spicebush is unpalatable to deer, and its bright red berries provide an important food source for migrating songbirds. The day was also spent removing non-native shrubs and vines, including 
autumn-olive, privet, multiflora rose, and Asian bittersweet vine. This allows native plants to thrive in the area, promoting a healthy, balanced ecosystem.
Since the establishment of the Mary Beth Preserve in 2018, the Gillett Pond area has been the focus of numerous revitalization efforts. Passion Works Studio artists collaborated with the Conservancy to create an Art Trail, with colorful signage that decorates the trail around the pond. Earlier this year, Athens Conservancy partnered with Rural Action to remove most of the non-native plants, leaving room for spicebush and other native shrubs to grow. Many volunteers helped in this effort, including a group of OU students from the Ohio Honors Program. The Conservancy aims to rejuvenate the Gillett Pond vegetation and make the area a treasure for wildlife and the community.
— Article by Zach Barsamian A senior at Athens High School, Zach has grown up at the edge of the woods, spending time hiking and exploring. By volunteering with the Conservancy, he hopes to give back to the community and create opportunities for others to make wonderful memories in the woods, too.