On November 9, a beautiful sunny Saturday, over 130 volunteers and Forest Park Forever staff came together to help remove invasive species in Kennedy Forest. More than 4.4 acres of Kennedy Forest were carefully swept through by volunteers and staff with one goal in mind — restoring our beautiful Park.

Why remove invasive species?

Removing invasive species is one piece of supporting a thriving, healthy ecosystem. The living world and all its systems are complex. Invasive species are non-native species that disrupt the structure of these networks and partnerships.

However, removing invasive species should never be considered the final step. It is essential to understand that continuous stress to a natural community can have long-lasting impacts. Proactively managing invasive species is, therefore, better than waiting until the species has taken over, and supporting a robust, resistant system is even better. For example, if a diverse habitat is being supported that has sunlight and shade and a tree falls, sun-loving plants are nearby to fill the new hole. As the trees grow taller and cast more shade to the area, the shade-tolerant plants of other shady areas are available to step up.

The group combed two high priority areas in the Nature Reserve:

1. Near Probstein Golf Course, for the first time in seven years

2. Along Government Drive next to the Saint Louis Zoo

The primary goal overall was to reduce the seeding of invasive brush species in the Park particularly near restored habitats, therefore reducing persistent invasion pressure in the Park.

Together this fast-acting crew removed:

• Seven dump truck loads of chipped material

• Two dump truck loads of intact brush material

A total of nine dump truck loads were removed, which is equivalent to 52 cubic yards! We are grateful to everyone who helped us restore this native beloved portion of Forest Park so that people and wildlife can enjoy it now and forever.