Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

My school, Palisades Charter High School, is surrounded by a beautiful area called Temescal Canyon. Despite its beauty, an invasive species called Cape ivy has plagued Temescal for decades, having detrimental effects on the ecosystem. Originally from South Africa, Cape ivy has caused damage to many areas in California, not just Temescal Park. As a destructive invasive species, Cape ivy reproduces rapidly, often covering up many plants and preventing them from receiving adequate sunlight. It dominates vegetation areas, which leads to reduced biodiversity and species richness. Furthermore, Cape ivy can lead to a decrease in habitat for some plant and animal species, as it takes up the land in which they are supposed to live.

Because Cape ivy continues to negatively impact my local ecosystem, I decided to gather 5 of my friends and go to Temescal Park to physically remove the invasive species. In my AP Environmental Science class, my teacher had explained the severity of the issue to us students, so I realized I could make an immediate impact in the form of this project. Through our efforts to remove the Cape ivy, and leave minimal fragments of the plant behind, my peers and I aimed to mitigate the consequences that Cape ivy's presence has been having on Temescal Canyon.

After school one day in late May of 2022, my friends and I set out to remove the Cape ivy, each bringing 6 trash bags to fill with the invasive species. After contacting Ricardo, the park's ranger, we were approved to work for 4 hours. We had to hike a little while to find a huge patch of the Cape ivy, but once we found one, we were on our hands and knees removing as much of the plant as we could. Luckily, Cape ivy has a vibrant purple root which makes it easy to identify and remove. So, each and every one of us dug, dug, and dug until there were hardly any purple roots left. After removing around 15 bags worth of Cape ivy at that location, we continued hiking up the trail, finding ourselves at another hot-spot. There, we continued our eradication, leaving no Cape ivy behind. All 5 of us filled our 6 bags to the brim, and the results were pretty incredible. We had managed to remove the vast majority of Cape ivy in Temescal Canyon. In the process of our removal, multiple hikers walked by us and expressed immense gratitude and appreciation, noting that what we were doing was extremely beneficial to our local ecosystem.

Through this project, I was able to truly grasp the size of impact that a group of high school students can have on a damaged ecosystem. Additionally, I learned that our actions can have a ripple effect, inspiring others to dedicate time in their day to preserve and protect our local nature. Thus, I am very grateful to have completed this project, as it positively impacted Temescal Canyon and brought out the best in me and my peers.