Throughout April, Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation (CCPR) will offer an Invasive for Native Tree Swap program to promote invasive species awareness. Remove one or more invasive species from your property, and CCPR will reimburse you with one native tree per household.
Take a photo of the invasive(s) you have removed and submit your work to naturalresources@carmelclayparks.com for your opportunity to pick up a free native tree.
Removing invasive species from parks, neighborhoods, and other natural areas and replacing them with native plants helps better the ecosystem and provide food and habitat to wildlife. Invasive species are non-native to a particular area, meaning they were introduced either intentionally or accidentally. Invasive species outcompete native plants for resources such as water, sunlight, and soil nutrients. This displacement of native species causes harm to the environment, public health, and the economy.
Are you interested in learning more about why CCPR plants native species and how it handles invasive plants? Click here.