Over fifty volunteers met at the Playland Parkway pathway on Saturday, March 20 with a mission to save the trees. The landscape between Midland and Milton Avenue had been overtaken by the invasive species Asiatic Bittersweet, Multiflora Rose, and Porcelain Berry. The vines put up a good fight but were no match for the determined volunteers, who fought back with gloves and masks on and tools in hand.
Instruction by Bob DelTorto, an invasive species removal expert from the Bronx River Parkway Reservation Conservancy vine pulling made a complex task much simpler. He advised to only pull one tree vine at a time with a quick, snapping motion and to leave the brown hairy vines intact, as they are poison ivy.
Our event sponsor, Rye City Lions Club, generously donated tasty sandwiches from Jerry's Post Road Market for the hardworking volunteers and Playland ground crew.
A big thank you to all the volunteers who signed up and showed up -- including students from Rye High School and Blind Brook High School, Rye City Lions Club members and Rye Sustainability Committee fans. Thank you to the Westchester County Department of Parks for providing a crew to cart away the mounds of debris.
RSC is already planning to host another event this fall to remove even more invasives. Anyone who wishes to join the fight is welcome. Sign up to receive our emails to be the first to hear.
