Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation encourages invasive species removal with annual Invasive for Native Tree Swap

Throughout April, Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation (CCPR) is offering 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 three-gallon native tree sapling. There are four species of native trees available: river birch, redbud, pagoda dogwood, and common witch-hazel.

To receive a sapling, please take a photo of the invasive plants you’ve removed and email it to naturalresources@carmelclayparks.com. Once your submission is received, you will be contacted with a time to pick up your sapling. Limit of one sapling per household, available while supplies last. You do not need to be a Carmel resident to participate.

Unlike native species, invasive species are not native to Indiana and can cause long-lasting harm to the environment. Invasive species can be found in both rural and non-rural areas, growing and reproducing at an alarming rate and outcompeting native species for vital resources like water, sunlight and soil. This can lead to a decline in native populations over time, causing a loss of biodiversity, negatively impacting local wildlife, and reducing water quality and soil infrastructure.

To view a more extensive list of invasive species from the Indiana Invasive Species Council, click here. To learn more about the importance of planting native plants, read CCPR’s recent blog post.