On July 25, 2026, AYLUS held another volunteer event at the Nissequogue Greenhouse. During
the session, we helped remove large amounts of mile-a-minute vine. Mile-a-minute is an
invasive plant that grows very quickly and can cover native plants, preventing them from getting
enough sunlight and space to grow.
Because there were many ticks in the area, we wore large protective suits while working. The
suits helped protect us, but they also made it harder to move around and work comfortably. The
temperature was not too hot in the morning, but it still felt warm inside the suits after we began
working.
The mile-a-minute vines felt like Velcro because they easily stuck to our clothing and tools. We
used rakes to pull the vines away from the ground, bushes, and other plants. Some of the vines
were tangled together, so we had to work carefully and help one another remove them.
Even though the suits and ticks made the work more challenging, everyone stayed focused and
worked as a team. We continued clearing the vines and tried to remove as much as possible
during the session. By the end of the event, we had made noticeable progress. The area looked
much cleaner and more open than it did when we first arrived. It was satisfying to see the
difference our teamwork had made.
Reporter: Alice Wang
Participants:
Annabella Kang: 2.5 hours
Alice Wang: 2.5 hours
Katherine Zeng: 2.5 hours
Isabelle Yang: 2.5 hour