On Saturday, September 12, the AYLUS Dix Hill Branch volunteered at Bethpage State Park to remove invasive plants and make room for planting beneficial species in their place. Volunteers first started by raking out English ivy, a common invasive species that covers the ground. The volunteers used iron rakes to pull out as many vines as possible and loppers to cut any that couldn’t be pulled out. Along with pulling out ivy, some volunteers were also tasked with clearing out the invasive bittersweet shrubs and honeysuckle. After cleaning up the bittersweet and honeysuckle, the volunteers also took out multifloral roses and mugwort around the edges of the work area. Near the end of the event, volunteers helped plant some native plant species in the place they had cleared.
With the assistance of the volunteers, Bethpage State Park would be healthier for the future with less invasive plants.
Volunteers: Jonathan Fan, Jake Wu
Hours: 3 hours, 3 hours
