Visitors who come out to Northwest Park for a brisk walk in December may glimpse some land management work in progress. The park’s large, grassy fields are mowed each year once the growing season has ended to remove tree saplings that would eventually take over. Some of the smaller meadows are cut every 4-5 years, allowing a shrubby thicket to develop in between cycles.

This year, the Rainbow Dam field will be cleared. It takes machinery bigger than a lawn mower to cut through woody stems. The park’s fields are cut with a brush hog pulled by a tractor, or with a bulky forestry mulch mower. Cutting woody growth does not disturb the underground roots or seeds of native grasses and wildflowers, which will sprout again next spring. By following a thoughtful land management regimen, the park’s rich diversity of habitats are maintained for native plants and wildlife, protecting Windsor’s natural heritage for all to enjoy