Stewardship in Action

Visitors to Trail Lake Park, Towner’s Woods Park, and Dix Park have likely noticed mowing and land clearing activity over the course of the last few weeks. Portage Park District strives to be a good steward of the public’s natural and financial resources through sustainable design and management that considers short and long-term environmental, economic and social impacts. These recent land management projects are a great example of this stewardship in action.

The Park District is a member of the Crooked River Cooperative Weed Management Area. The purpose of this group is to share knowledge, staff, equipment, and materials across jurisdictional boundaries for invasive species detection and management. Under the coordination and supervision of our Natural Areas Steward, Bob Lange, the Park District arranged to use a skid steer mounted mulching unit from another member of the cooperative. The purpose of this type of mulching unit is to clear and remove large infestations of invasive shrubs.

How do invasive plants impact our native ecosystems? Invasive plants are characterized by having rapid growth rates, high reproduction rates, lack of natural controls, and tolerance to a wide range of ecological conditions. Invasive plants out-compete native plants, decrease biodiversity, and can ultimately displace wildlife. If you would like to learn more about some of the invasive plant species that are threatening our local ecosystems, Bob will be presenting the webinar Despicable Weeds on Wednesday, February 17 at 7:00 pm as part of our winter webinar series.

The Park District’s Natural Areas team used the mulching unit at Trail Lake Park to clear large areas of invasive shrubs (primarily buckthorn) on the western side of Trail Lake Park. The clearing project doubled as preparation for a future trail extension. The areas cleared along the Butterfly Trail at Towner’s Woods Park will be enhanced with native milkweed and other nectar plantings to maintain critical habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators. Finally, a significant area at Dix Park was cleared of invasive shrubs and trees to make way for native plantings.

Conservation is at the forefront of the Portage Park District mission. This type of land resource management helps to protect and restore native habitats for the health and enjoyment of our community into the future. We thank you for your patience as we continue to improve your Portage Park District properties!