News & Events

Happy Earth Day!

April 22, 2022 About Foothills - Board & Staff, Habitat & Wildlife, Harris Farm, Land Management Practices

It’s springtime and FLC’s office headquarters at the Harris Farm is boasting plenty of native blooms!

Staff can’t help but take a look back at the last few years as we focused on removing invasive exotics like honeysuckle, multi-flora rose, and the infamous privet, within some of the property’s woodlands. Invasive plant species spread quickly and can prevent native plant growth and create monocultures.

Check out the gallery of images, highlighting our efforts to clear out invasives and showcasing the increased native plant diversity we’ve observed out in the woods!

: FLC Director of GIS, Matt Moore, begins the task of removing what will be the first of many invasive exotic plants and shrubs in the Harris Farm woods.

: FLC’s Executive Director, Bill Clabough, helps out with the invasive exotic shrub removal. The larger size shrubs require saws in lieu of loppers!

: Once the invasive plants are identified, FLC’s Director of GIS, Matt Moore, & FLC Field Biologist, Shelby Lyn Sanders, work together to cut down the plants while also carefully applying herbicide directly to the stump, using a method called ‘cut and paste’. Direct application to the stump immediately after cutting helps to minimize herbicide contact with non-targeted plants and reduces any exposure to animals.

: The stump of a honeysuckle shrub remains where FLC staff had cut and then applied herbicide to halt future growth.

: Once cut, invasives are then placed into piles, like this pile of privet and honeysuckle.

: The fruits of our labor! A wide open spot now allows for mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) to emerge, thanks to the removal of the invasives that had once taken quite a foothold.