- Max Trip Size: 20 people
Join Three Rivers Park District’s battle against Oriental Bittersweet, an invasive vine, by participating in an “Invasive Blitz” at Elm Creek Park Reserve on Saturday, February 25!
We are shooting for up to 20 volunteers to form two groups the scout the woods. Meet at the Champlin Ice Forum parking lot (NW corner where the paved trail leaves the lot) on the east side of Elm Creek at Noon. We will be hiking off-trail on uneven terrain in areas usually off-limits to the public. We’ll be looking for the brightly-colored red berries of the vine from Noon until 3 p.m. We can socialize afterward in nearby Anoka for those who wish. A couple options are Marco’s Pizza and 10K Brewing.
Any vines found can be mapped using the smartphone app, EDDMapS Midwest (Great Lakes Early Detection Network). You can download the app for iOS or Android from the following site: http://www.eddmaps.org/midwest/, however, we should only need a couple of people per group to run the app. A park representative will provide us with a training session when we start.
Dress for the weather and the work (comfortable, sturdy, warm boots or snowshoes with snow pants and layered clothing). Bring something to drink and a snack, if desired. Must be 8 or older to participate. Youths must be accompanied by an adult and must have a permission form filled out. General information and the youth permission form are available on the Three Rivers Parks’ Invasive Species Removal Events website:
https://www.threeriversparks.org/events/Groups/invasive-species-projects.aspx
Non-members are welcome on all day trips, so bring a friend!
You can read more information about Oriental Bittersweet on the DNR’s web page:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/oriental_bittersweet.html