On July 25th, MAR staff and volunteers came together to remove over 560 pounds of invasive plant species from Moccasin Lake Park! We helped to clear a specific area of many invasives including cogon grass, grape vine, and air potato, to help the park create a new trail for the public to enjoy!
What Are Invasives?
For a species to be considered invasive in an area, it has to be non-native to that region, and also causing some sort of environmental harm by existing there. Examples of the harm caused by invasive species can include things like outcompeting native plants, decreasing biological diversity, and making areas less habitable for native animals. Invasive plants are a large issue in Florida due to our year-round warm and wet climate, which many exotic species thrive in. By removing these plants at Moccasin Lake, we have given the native wildlife a better chance at flourishing, and also made space for a new trail to be created at the park!
The Impact of Invasive Removal
On this hot and humid Saturday morning, our small but mighty team of volunteers removed 566 pounds of invasive plants in just 3 hours! The species we removed included Air Potato, Skunk Vine, Grape Vine, Cogon Grass, and Caesar Weed. Removing these plants revealed multiple gopher tortoise burrows, and will now let the tortoises move more freely throughout the park without invasive plants in their way! We are so grateful to have dedicated volunteers that continue to show up at our events and make a positive impact on the world around them. Take a look at this educational blog to learn about how volunteering in nature also has a positive impact on the individuals that do it!
Ongoing Event Series: Join us Next Time
This event was the first in a series of invasive removal days MAR will be hosting at Moccasin Lake to help the park carve out their new trail! Come out to the next one on August 29th at 8 AM to help us continue to make a positive impact on this beautiful park! Please register on eventbrite so we know to expect you.
Event Photos
