DIY day report 27 September 2025

September can be cold, but this DIY day was still pleasantly warm: the sun was shining and at 10:30 the DIY day at De Groene Poort Oost started, as it does every fourth Saturday of the month.
Seven volunteers from Serve the City and more than 10 neighbourhood residents were present to complete the tasks again.

Work was done on the pond: the plants were better secured: no longer in individual pots, but in a cloth with sections laid against the pond wall. This activity did cause some temporary murky water, but that will hopefully clear up after a day of rest
The bee hill has been weeded because there’s too much cinquefoil growing there (guess what those leaves look like? That’s right: they have five “fingers”), and some new viper’s bugloss has been sown.
The hornbeam hedge was cleared of weeds so the plants have less competition from the grass and surrounding plants. Of course, there was plenty of mowing: with a brushcutter and a ride-on mower.

As usual, the lunch was pleasant and well taken care of by Jan and Lizet.
SDG House Maastricht visited the park. This organisation helps make the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) visible in the city and region. De Groene Poort Oost aims to contribute to a more sustainable city through social gatherings, biodiversity, and a food forest. SDG House filmed and photographed the volunteers at work, and one of them was interviewed.
The park looked beautiful again after all these activities.