Written By: Bryan Fan
The AYLUS Dix Hills Branch teamed up with Bayard Cutting Arboretum to cut out invasive vines clumped up in the grounds. The primary target for the day was English Ivy. This plant is an invasive non native, and like many other invasives, it can quickly form a dense monoculture that prevents light and air from nourishing native plants and seeds. By weakening it, the vines are less likely to be able to come back as powerful and eventually could die out. Volunteers used several tools like rakes, shovels and clippers to weed out as much of it as possible, before disposing of the remains. Afterwards, volunteers had the luxury to take a tour of the Cutting residence, and learned the story behind the grounds there. Volunteers worked from 9:30 to 12:30, spending half that time on the invasive plants and the other half touring the estate.
Volunteers: Bryan Fan (3.5 hrs), Min Zheng (3 hrs), Jonathan Fan (3 hrs), and Jeremy Fang (2 hrs).
