On 3/7/26, Aylus volunteers went to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum to help remove invasive English Ivy plants, ensuring that native plants would have access to sufficient nutrients. The volunteering session took place from 9:30 am – 12:00 pm (2.5 hours).
Upon arrival, we split up into two groups. Some volunteers cleared plants near the entrance, while others remained in the field. We began by cutting any withered plants at the root that had ivy in the area using shears to prevent them from interfering with the removal process. Some volunteers were curious about how to differentiate English ivy from poison ivy to ensure they knew what to avoid. The park staff explained poison ivy can be identified by its three pointy leaves and vines that appear furry indicating its potential harm in contrast to the rounded leaves of the English ivy.
We spent a majority of the time pulling the ivy plants out from the root and trimming nearby dried up plants. Some volunteers helped rake the leaves and vines into piles, making the clean up process much easier and more efficient. Other volunteers also helped remove branches from trees that had been infiltrated by the invasive vines.
Members who participated include:
Yingxiang Liu (2.5 hours)
Yuya Liu (2.5 hours)
Nuoxi Jiang (2.5 hours)
Austin Jiang (2.5 hours)
Annabella Kang (2.5 hours)
Lucas Kang (2.5 hours)
Katherine Zeng (2.5 hours)
Brian Lin (2.5 hours )
Yiqing Lu (2.5 hours)
Sumeng Liu (2.5 hours)
Zachary Chen (2.5 hours)
Felicia Liu (2.5 hours)
