On Monday, August 4th, 2025, from 8:30 am to 12:00 am, volunteers from AYLUS Oakland Gardens Branch participated in their 183th event at Kissena Park with Roxana, focusing on removing overgrown branches and clearing the walking path.
Throughout the event, our members cut and removed quick-growing branches that had begun to encroach on the walking routes using loppers and shovels. After cutting the branches off at the top using loppers, volunteers used shovels to remove small roots or stumps from the bottom. If the branches were too difficult to cut with shovels, we finished the task with loppers once more, and the branches that were removed were tossed back into the wooded regions, out of the way of the path. Some of the large and thick branches were put into the garbage truck, leaving it to the park authorities to handle.
This maintenance was especially important because the branches were growing both quickly and directly onto the path, making it difficult for visitors to walk safely. Cutting the overgrowth also opened up sightlines around path corners, helping improve visibility and reducing hidden hazards. Our members had to go deeper into the woods to reach and remove thicker branches, while others were able to stay outside and pull out the roots by hand.
This event helped us realize how crucial it is to keep natural areas maintained consistently. After only a few weeks of unchecked growth, the path had become less safe and more chaotic. We were able to successfully restore the route and improve the park’s comfort for the community with the help of teamwork, park staff like Roxana, and a common goal.
Our Volunteers:
1. Sophia Xu : 3.5 hours
2. Yiming Chen : 3.5 hours
3. Hong Hao Liu: 3.5 hours
4. Danny Lin : 3.5 hours
5. Zhiheng Zhou : 3.5 hours
6. Ricky Song : 3.5 hours
7. Bowen Chen : 3.5 hours
8. Luke Chen : 3.5 hours
9. Kaisa Wu : 3.5 hours
10. Tyrone Li : 3.5 hours
11. Fayee Chen : 3.5 hours
12. Dylan Chen : 3.5 hours
13. Katrina Zhang : 3.5 hours
14. Kaitlyn Zhang : 3.5 hours
15. Evelyn Yuan : 3.5 hours
16. Terrence Cao : 3.5 hours
17. Yuhan Lin : 3.5 hours
18. Liam Cheung : 3.5 hours
19. Eason Lin : 3.5 hours
20. Austin Li : 3.5 hours
21. Zihan Shi : 3.5 hours
22. Amy Liu: 3.5 hours
Parent Adviser Team:
Fannie Li: 8 hours
Karen Liao: 8 hours
Faye Liu: 8 hours
Report Written by: Kaisa Wu
Reviewed by: Jia Qi (Angela) Liu
