On Monday November 3rd, volunteers (ESMNS Jim McDaniel, Rose-Marie Roessler, and Tom Young and James Roessler) joined DCR staff (Will Mears and Jennifer Madden) to manually remove invasive species at Savage Neck Dunes NAP. English Ivy was snipped around the bases of affected trees, with large vines cut and treated with herbicide by DCR staff. Staff and volunteers then worked on hand-pulling vines working from around the bases of the trees to the trail edge to clear a patch adjacent to the main entry trail.

Volunteers also pulled and cleared privet from along the trail and assisted clear a fallen branch and tangle of vines that was hanging over the trail. Altogether, volunteers removed 6 compact bags of ivy and privet over the course of two hours.

This is part of a series of volunteer workdays scheduled for each of the four NAPs with public access facilities in the region during the month of November. These workdays will focus on removing invasive plant species from some of the most visible and highly visited areas of these preserves, helping them to better exemplify native natural communities.