On April 9 and 11, the MountainTrue Forest Keepers are collaborating with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to help them kick off the 2015 Garlic Mustard Challenge!
Garlic mustard is a nasty invasive species that has infested sections of the AT.
This year, we have three goals:
- Pull a pound of garlic mustard for each mile of trail;
- Beat the 2014 record of 2,189 pounds of garlic mustard collectively pulled along the AT;
- And to enjoy fresh foraged samples of garlic mustard pesto!
We’ll meet for a carpool from the EarthFare in the Westgate Shopping Center at 9 a.m. on April 9 and 10. You may also meet the group at Garenflo Gap at 10 a.m. (April 9) and Lemon Gap at 10:30 a.m. (April 11).
Volunteers should wear sturdy hiking shoes, long pants, as bring rain gear, water and lunch.
WNCA’s Bob Gale works with a volunteer crew on exotic invasive plant removal.
The Western North Carolina Alliance, as a partner of the Southern Appalachian Cooperative Weed Management Partnership (SACWMP), needs volunteers to participate in daylong outing to protect native plants from exotic invasions along the Appalachian Trail in Pisgah National Forest.
The outing will be from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4 along the A.T. at Mill Ridge (near Hot Springs).
The invasive plants were introduced in earlier decades, both deliberately and accidentally, and have escaped into areas of our public lands. Invasive exotic plants out-compete native plants for space, sunlight, water, and nutrients, often causing a decline in biodiversity.
They can also take over and destroy native food sources, leaving wildlife with food that provides little to no nutritional value for their needs.
We’ll give instruction on how to identify invasive exotic plants of concern in the Mill Ridge area, as well as how to use manual and chemical control methods. Then we’ll put these skills to work treating invasive plant species found along the Trail.
SACWMP will provide all equipment needed for the event. Volunteers are asked to bring lunch, water, and rain gear, as well as sturdy hiking boots, long pants, and a long sleeve shirt. Carpooling is available from the Westgate Earth Fare shopping center in West Asheville, leaving at 9 a.m. and returning by 4 p.m.
Individuals or groups interested in volunteering should sign up through SignUp Genius.
If you have questions, contact WNCA Volunteer Coordinator Cynthia Camilleri by calling the WNCA office at (828) 258-8737, ext. 207 or emailing Cynthia@WNCA.org.
We hope to see you there!
The Southern Appalachian Cooperative Weed Management Partnership members include the Western North Carolina Alliance, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Equinox Environmental Consultation & Design, National Forests in North Carolina, National Park Service, North Carolina Division of Forest Resources, and Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation and Development Council.
