MURRAY – On November 2nd, The Riverlands Alliance Invasive Species Task Force, a project of the Riverlands Alliance, conducted an invasive plant species field day at Murray’s Central Park. The goal of the event was for attendees to learn about invasive plant identification and then take part in hands-on management of common invasive plants found in the park. The event was attended by 23 community members, including student members of the Murray State University (MSU) Wildlife and Fisheries Society, the Four Rivers Sierra Club, and other individuals from the community.
The plant identification portion of the event was led by Gage Barnes, a graduate student in the Department of Biology at MSU. During this portion of the event, attendees were taught to identify approximately 10 invasive plant species throughout the park. After lunch attendees learned how to remove our target invasive species, autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) and burning bush (Euonymus alatus), using the cut-stump method. This portion of the event was led by Dr. Andrea Darracq, an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at MSU and the Riverlands Alliance Coordinator.
As a team, we successfully removed autumn olive and burning bush from an area of the park while retaining an “untreated” area nearby. These side-by-side comparison areas will serve as an educational tool to be maintained by the Four Rivers Sierra Club to demonstrate the effects invasive species removal can have on native species. Following treatment and retreatment of the invasive plants as needed, a diversity of native plant species should pioneer back into the treated area, particularly understory species. These native plant species provide food and cover for wildlife and help maintain a healthy ecosystem.
This was a great event and the volunteers that attended made a great team! Keep an eye out for future field days and other regional opportunities by following the Riverlands Alliance on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/riverlandsalliance/) or Instagram (@RiverlandsAlliance).
