PIBTPD Latest News

EnviroScience Restoration Project

EnviroScience was here in October and November to remove the invasive amur honeysuckle and wintercreeper from the Cooper’s Woods and Benjamin Woods Preserves. The removal was funded by the Conservation Fund as part of restoration efforts after purchase of the preserves. The four man team cut the honeysuckle at the base and then sprayed the cut stump with herbicide to draw the poison down into the root system killing the tree but not injuring other plants/trees. This should make more room for native trees such as maple, basswood, hackberry, and oak saplings that would otherwise be crowded out by the honeysuckle. The four man team also spent time removing  tree of heaven from preserves. Last spring PIBTPD employee Leah Bilski helped Lisa Brohl lay out 4 square meter test plots at Cooper’s Woods. All vegetation was identified within the plot. The garlic mustard within these four plots was treated with herbicide by EnviroScience this fall. We will check these plots during the growing season in 2022 and see if the herbicide use had any effect on the other native plants within the test plots. We have a rich diversity of wildflowers in Cooper’s Woods and are choosing to remove garlic mustard by hand pulling instead of herbicide. We also would like to remind adjacent property owners not to leave their yard/garden waste in the woods as it can be the source of new invasive plants. Thanks to all for a job well done.