Beginning in late March, WNCA held three outings in the forest of Richmond Hill Park where volunteers worked to control a significant infestation of invasive exotic plants.
Students from the University of Maryland, UNC Asheville, Warren Wilson College, as well as local volunteers, worked over these days to remove thickets of multiflora rose and European privet from a small tributary of the French Broad River.
The park has suffered from major disturbances throughout its history and is overrun in many areas by a few species of invasive exotic plants.
Nevertheless, areas exist where rich native species have struggled to hold on and/or their roots and seeds are banked in the soil, waiting for an opportunity to come back into their own.
Our initial control event held last December cleared a small area, which resulted in the emergence of spring beauty, trilliums, and May-apples.
We followed up on this work by greatly expanding this area. In the process, many more of these plants appeared, along with some Jack-in-the-pulpit, wild geranium, violets, toothworts, and others that had been shaded out by an evergreen monoculture of Multiflora Rose or Privet.
We also uncovered several aromatic Spicebush saplings, which had been bent over to the ground by the weight of the invasives, but are now straightening up and growing leafy branches.
We have scheduled two outings for June 23 and June 30 to continue this work. Come out and join us! Contact Bob Gale at 828-258-8737 or bob@wnca.org for more information.