Leading Community Members Through Invasive Species Removal: A Day at the Westchester Parks Foundation Green-ternship
I wince as a barb on the toothed edge of a water chestnut pierces through my glove, silently noting to remind younger volunteers to grab the chestnut by its stem instead of the sharp spines of the plant’s roots. The canoe I’m on begins to tip back and forth as the staggering mound of water chestnut at its center threatens to fall overboard, signifying that it’s time to return back to shore. As my fellow intern and I paddle through open lake waters–this area, the focus of yesterday’s session, is now free of invasive plants–I watch as a group of volunteers gathers around the water’s edge.
“Invasive species are organisms introduced to new environments that they don’t belong in. Because of this, they have no natural predators and become overpopulated, which has a detrimental impact on their environment and the native species that inhabit it.” I scan the crowd for nods of understanding before explaining the importance of this specific volunteer experience. “If we look at this lake, a key feature of the Blue Mountain Reservation, we can see that it’s completely overcome with the invasive water chestnut plant. This plant brought to North America from Europe and Asia is both a hazard to recreational water activities and a threat to underwater fish and plants, as the surface cover it creates significantly decreases sunlight penetration. It’s difficult to eradicate invasive species, but we can all do our part by participating in removal efforts like this one. Now, who’s ready to get started?”
Community volunteers performing water chestnut removal at the center of the Blue Mountain Reservation Lake. Taken by me in July 2021
After closing out my speech to incoming volunteers, I shuttle a group of younger kids toward the shallow waters and help them strap into their waders. Holding up a diagram of a water chestnut plant, I review the plant’s anatomy: “The floating leaves of the plant are what we can see on the lake’s surface. The canopy that these leaves form doesn’t allow sunlight to come below the water, which hurts plants that need sunlight for photosynthesis. When plants can’t perform photosynthesis, fish and other aquatic organisms don’t have enough oxygen to survive. You’re going to want to pull out the chestnut by its stem, making sure that you don’t leave the plant’s roots in the water. Finally, the nuts of water chestnuts do have spikes–wear your gloves and watch out for these!”
These kids, accompanied by their families, begin pulling out chestnut leaves along the lake’s shoreline. Once they’re situated, I help the other half of the volunteers into canoes, briefly demonstrating the process of collecting water chestnut, carrying it from the boat, and sweeping it into the construction vehicle that disposes of the invasive plants. I then assign myself to the arduous task of raking heaps of water chestnut into the front loader’s claw. This final step may be the most tedious of the removal process; nonetheless, the tree canopy on land shields me from the unrelenting heat of July, a solace that my sunburnt skin appreciates.
As my lunch break approaches, I man the desk and accept a new group of volunteers as the previous session comes to a close, handing out a calendar for the Westchester Parks Foundation’s upcoming events. Scanning the schedule, I mark my personal calendar for a cleanup effort at Tibbetts Brook Park the following week. I am grateful for the plentiful volunteer opportunities that working with the WPF provides–a successful model of using community resources to create a positive impact on preserving green space and thriving natural ecosystems, the WPF carries a host of innovative initiatives including the Clean River Project, Pitch in for Parks, and the Corporate Partner Program. Being an intern in the Green-ternship program gives me insight into the administrative structure of a dedicated environmental organization uplifted by community outreach, and I am an avid supporter of the WPF’s mission to unite residents from all corners of the county to gather and preserve the asset of parkland for current and future generations.
Later that afternoon, the final round of volunteers trickle out of the park. Thanking them for their time and commitment and encouraging them to return, I and several other interns clean up for the day–lifting the canoes back into their storage space, organizing the removal equipment, and folding up the informational table. As I set off toward the parking lot, I am exhilarated from a successful day of work, appreciative of the chance to meet dozens of other eager environmentalists, and excited for the next day’s session to begin.
