GHI Earth Day Invasive Species Removal

April 21

GHI manages nearly 86 acres of forested woodlands, and one of the biggest problems these woodlands face is invasive plants. These non-native plants can crowd out native ones and disturb wildlife habitat, causing a great deal of damage to the ecological system. On Saturday, April 21, GHI’s Woodlands Committee organized an Earth Day invasive species removal. Committee members and volunteers trimmed vines and branches between 58 and 62 courts of Ridge Road.

Matt Berres, GHI’s Director of Maintenance Operations and staff liaison to the Woodlands Committee, comes with gloves and tools. On the left are Woodlands Committee members Kathie Java and Richard Olsen.

Committee member Michael Chesnes signs in.

Richard Olsen cuts down multiflora rose. Multiflora rose is a thorny shrub native to Japan, Korea, and eastern China.

Olsen puts a pile of multiflora rose by the roadside.

Berres cuts down English ivy vines from a tree. English ivy is an evergreen climber native to Europe and western Asia.

Committee member Helen Meleny (right) puts an aluminum can into a bag for recyclables held by Kathie Jarva.

Olsen pulls a vine away from a tree.

Olsen frees a redbud from entangling Japanese honeysuckle vines. Japanese honeysuckle, native to Japan and Korea, is a vine which produces white and yellow fragrant flowers.

Berres examines a tree that he has just freed. It’s a vibernum.

Kathie Jarva takes notes. She wants to add to the Committee’s website.

Three-year-old Zachary helps his father Matt Berres free a tree from Japanese honeysuckle vines.

Zachary carries Japanese honeysuckle vines to the curb.

Richard Olsen points out with a saw that this is a female white mulberry tree. This tree is native to China and outcompetes the native red mulberry.

Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is native to China and its leaves have a strong, stinky smell. Olsen mentions that there is another species called Toona, also native to China, whose leaves resemble those of Tree of Heaven but are fragrant and edible.

Committee member Rachel Channon pulls vines and branches to the curb.

Olsen carries away dead branches.

Berres shows that Japanese honeysuckle has opposite leaves.

Berres shows a native vine with alternate leaves.

Berres points to a poison ivy. He says that poison ivy is in fact a native species. Although it can cause harm to humans by contact, its berries are food to birds and it contributes to the ecological system. So as long as it is not near a path, he says it can be left alone.

Berres cuts down a bush honeysuckle shrub with a mattock. The flowers of this honeysuckle are white to pink whereas those Japanese honeysuckle flowers are white and yellow.

Rachel Channon is on her knees clearing the wintercreeper groundcover.

Ed James pulls a wintercreeper vine away from a wire. Wintercreeper is a woody evergreen vine and can also form a dense groundcover.

Berres cuts down a bush honeysuckle shrub.

Berres drags away the bush honeysuckle shrub.

Olsen digs out the bush honeysuckle roots using a mattock.

Berres frees a tree from wintercreeper vines.

These woody wintercreeper vines have fused with tree.

Sarah O’Brien and Mara Hemminger clear away the wintercreeper groundcover.

Sarah O’Brien carries away a pile of wintercreeper.

Elaina Berres and Michael Chesnes roll away a pile of wintercreeper.

Kathie Jarva works to trim a sea of multiflora rose.

Kathie Jarva carries away a pile of multiflora rose. In a neighbor’s yard, azaleas are in full bloom.