The Hamilton County Invasives Partnership (HIP) successfully held two Strike Team events in October.
The Strike Team is a group of trained volunteers who participate in “on the ground” efforts to combat invasive species. The HIP Strike Team is led by experienced volunteers and Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) staff who provide technical support and labor to remove invasive species at partner sites.
The events this October took place at Fall Creek Woods Natural Area in Fall Creek Township and at Macgregor Park in Westfield. The events focused on removing woody invasive species such as callery pear, Asian bush honeysuckle, multiflora rose, and autumn olive. Over 57 volunteer hours of invasive removal were donated by 17 volunteers.
Invasive species are species that are non-native, aggressive, and cause harm to the environment, human health, and the economy. The proliferation of invasive species in an ecosystem disrupts the complex and critical relationships that locally native species have with their environment and other organisms. Invasive species are responsible for degrading and destroying thousands of acres of Indiana’s native plant communities.
If you’re interested in being part of HIP or the Strike Team, sign up for email notifications for meetings and events at hcinvasives.org. Anyone can join and training will be provided. Pre-registration and completion of an online training is required prior to Strike Team events.