Harkness Park Restoration Project

  • Location
    Rye Brook, New York
  • Status
    Active
  • Age Level
    Any Age

The Problem

We wanted to address the issue of declining biodiversity in our community. We noticed that Harkness Park, a community park located adjacent to our school, was overrun by invasive plants. Not only do these invasives harm native pollinators by crowding out the native plants which they rely on, they can promote the spread of dangerous invasive species. We are particularly concerned about the Spotted Lanternfly, an insect that has extremely negative impacts on the ecosystem. Because of this, we have constructed a project to remove the invasive plants in the park, and to bring back the population of native plants that once inhabited the area.

Our Plan

Our plan is to create a pollinator-friendly garden where nature can flourish, and where members of the community can gather to appreciate it. Our first approach was to tackle and uproot as many invasives as we could by hand. After many weeks and volunteer hours, we have been able to clear the area. We are now in the process of laying down cardboard and soil over the land to prevent the removed plants from sprouting again. We have begun preparations to plant seeds and seedlings on top of the cardboard, where they can obtain sunlight and thrive above their competitors.

Themes Addressed

  • term icon
    Biodiversity Loss
  • term icon
    Community Enhancement
  • term icon
    Invasive Species

The Benefit

  • term icon
    People
  • term icon
    Animals
  • term icon
    Environment
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