Fran Glass, Wild Ones – St. Louis Chapter Board Secretary, drags honeysuckle carcasses to the wood chipper.
Invasive bush honeysuckle chokes out native species including trees, shrubs, and ground-layer plants because of multiple factors including its rapid spread, density, early shading, depletion of the soil, and suspected toxins (1). Not only that but it is difficult to remove because of its thick and gnarly wood, which creates that massive density.
Area conservation organizations join together this week to remove as much invasive bush honeysuckle as possible and to bring community awareness to the detrimental effects of these highly invasive plants.
The Wild Ones – St. Louis Chapter Board recently approved increasing participation in this event beginning in the fall or next March possibly by providing native plant seedlings, education opportunities, and planting events. Besa Schweitzer, our Webmaster, is on the Honeysuckle Sweep Week planning committee and is our coordinator with that group and the other participating organizations.
Note: Registration is required for each event listed below. To register and for more information, visit Missouri Botanical Garden’s BiodiverseCity St. Louis, which hosts the webpage for these activities.
The main event:
March 6 – 10 from 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
(two- and three-hour shifts available)
THE WORLD’S FIRST HONEYSUCKLE HACKATHON
Free Kirkwood Park from Invasive Bush Honeysuckle
Area before removal efforts began
March 4 from 9:00 a.m. – noon
Deer Creek Park
Organized by Webster Groves and Missouri Botanical Garden
March 4 at 9:00 a.m.
Blanchette Park
1900 Randolph, St. Charles, Pavilion 4
Organized by Greenway Network
March 5, 12 and 19 at 11:00 a.m.
Emmenegger Nature Park, Kirkwood
Organized by Kirkwood Parks Adopt-a-Park volunteer group
March 7, all day beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Paul A. Schroeder Park
359 Old Meramec Station Road, Manchester 63021
Organized by City of Manchester and Missouri Master Naturalists, Great River Chapter
March 10 from 9:00 a.m. – noon
Shaw Nature Reserve
Organized by Missouri Botanical Garden/Shaw Nature Reserve
March 11 and 18 from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Paul A. Schroeder Park
359 Old Meramec Station Road, Manchester 63021
Organized by City of Manchester and Missouri Master Naturalists, Great River Chapter
Woodland edge after clearing invasive bush honeysuckle
March 11 from 9 :00 a.m. – noon
Laumeier Sculpture Park
Organized by Missouri Botanical Garden and St. Louis County Parks
March 11 from 9:00 a.m. – noon
Honeysuckle Hack at Forest River Trail Park
Organized by the Open Space Council for St. Louis Region
March 11 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The College School, Labarque Campus
4180 Doc Sargent Rd., Pacific 63069
Organized by The College School
March 15 from 9:00 a.m. – noon
Creve Coeur Park
2160 Creve Coeur Mill Road, St. Louis 63146
Organized by St. Louis Audubon
Restoration/Planting Event
March 14 from 9:00 a.m.–noon
Forest Park Restoration Project
plant native trees
Organized by Forest Park Forever
(1) Forest Invasive Plants Resource Center, Eurasian Bush Honeysuckle, U.S. Forest Service pdf
