National Public Lands Day on September 25th was a huge success!
60 volunteers joined us in Forest Park for a major restoration effort to remove invasive English ivy from the groundcover and native trees. In all, volunteers:
- Removed English ivy from 3/4th miles of trail
- Freed 40 trees of ivy
- Managed to remove ivy from about half an acre of land in Forest Park
Habitat restoration in Forest Park and the surrounding area focuses on re-establishing native plant communities where invasive plants have taken hold. Common landscaping plants such as English Ivy and invasive weedy trees like English Holly have found their way into the forest by way of birds, pets, and people. These unwelcome invaders can dominate areas of the forest, supplanting the native flora that supports wildlife and disrupting the fragile web of biodiversity the area’s fish and other wildlife rely upon.
Forest Park Conservancy’s restoration work is a central component of our 20-year plan, the Greater Forest Park Conservation Initiative.
Throughout the year, we will continue to remove invasive species within Forest Park. If you want to volunteer with us, check out our Event Calendar for upcoming stewardship opportunities!
Thank you to our volunteers and to our generous Presenting Sponsor of National Public Lands Day efforts, Thomas’ Breads!
National Public Lands Day photos by Evergreen Event Photography – @evergreeneventphotography