Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

When living in the Midwest area, it is common to see Oaks, Elms, Maples and other native trees; hence native. Though when shrubs such as Honeysuckle and Buckthorn start to pop up, a red flag goes off. These shrubs are not native to Illinois; they are not even native to the United States. They do not belong.
The red flag went off in my mind once these trees started to become dominant in the local forests where I live. From being ecologically enlightened by my forest ecology class, I knew that these shrubs were doing more harm than good. What they do is they block the sun from native plants below them, causing them to die. Also if the invasive species start to grow taller than some trees, they can steal their sunlight, causing those trees to die as well. Therefore, this year a group of seniors, including myself, decided that they needed to be removed. We had assembled a group to travel out to the local quarries and cut down all invasive shrubs, mainly Honeysuckle and Buckthorn, with permission of course. Our teacher, being the ecologically knowledgeable women she is, inspired us to do so from her lessons and explanations. She also joined us and provided us with supervision and tools.
The local quarries are near the I&M Canal in downtown Lemont, Illinois. They are home to shipyards, restoration businesses, and tons of plants and animals. In addition there are bike paths, benches, fishing spots, and other recreational aspects where citizens can go and enjoy the beauty of it all. People walk down the paths and look around, some see bright red berries on a certain plant and think how delicious they look. They look tasteful, but their side effects are far from delicious. The berries of Honeysuckles can be fatal to some species, allowing the plant to be a huge problem in the area. Home to where bats, birds, squirrels and other berry-dependent animals live, the quarries were abundant with Honeysuckle. We did not want to see the population of those little critters decrease, giving us another reason to diminish the shrub.
Clippers and saws were used to do the job, safely of course, and efficiently. The shrubs of both Honeysuckle and Buckthorn were cut down to the bottom of the trunk and tossed into bundles. The part of the trunk that was still sticking out of the ground was tagged so people could see it and avoid tripping over it. Later they were completely pulled out, roots and all. As far as the bundles went, they were burned in an environmentally friendly way without the use of chemicals.
The cutting down of the invasive species opened up the canopy for more plants to acquire sunlight as well as opened up the ground for more plants, native of course, to grow and flourish. The project also enhanced the lives of those living in the forests and quarries. The animals dependent on fruits and nuts will not be in jeopardy of the berries produced by Honeysuckle, nor cut or scratched by the thorns of Buckthorn. Diminishing those shrubs improved their lives as well as the humans who do not necessarily live in the forests, but near them. Citizens can now walk down clearer paths and plant trees that are local to Lemont in the new spaces. As for myself, I feel cleansed knowing that I was able to purify the local forests and quarries a little bit more. The project also furthered my knowledge on my local ecosystem and how to properly treat it. That aspect made my peers and I more beneficial to the environment, which naturally made our teacher happier.
To be aware of what does and does not belong in your ecosystem is important. I am not just talking about garbage because it will not decompose. I am referring to the possible forests that are disturbed by invasive plants and trees. Therefore be aware. Yes, always pick up trash and dispose of it properly, but also look around. Find out what types of organisms belong in your local area. If there are ones present that do not belong, take responsibility as an inhabitant to purify your ecosystem and remove invasive species.