Volunteers help clear invasive species

The sounds of a nearby river interlaced with the popping and snapping of plant stalks on a cool and wet Saturday afternoon.

Five volunteers worked diligently to remove a large patch of knotweed from Prospect Hill Park.

The group, dubbed The Friends of Prospect Hill, is a network of volunteers assisting in a variety of environmentally focused projects under the direction of Adam Green, one of the city’s park rangers, who helps direct the group to areas where the park needs help.

According to Bob Primack, one of the volunteers, knotweed is invasive and can have detrimental effects on the area’s biodiversity.

Primack explained that native insects can’t use knotweed as a food source. This can cause their population to decline, which can affect the bird population that feeds on the insects. Reducing the area’s knotweed, he said, can help the park’s diverse group of local flora and fauna flourish.

An increase in biodiversity can have a visible impact on an ecosystem, a change Emilie Josephs, another volunteer, has seen firsthand at her house. “Since I’ve planted certain flowers,” she said, “I now have new birds coming to my yard.” 

Ella Adams, one of the volunteers who helped start the program last year, said this visible impact was one of the satisfying aspects of the work.

Whether it was the numerous trash bags filled with invasive species or the removal of Styrofoam from the park’s old ski huts, having a physical example of their efforts, she explained, helped make the work gratifying.

One of the goals of removing invasive plants, Josephs said, is to make room for a local plant nursery at Prospect Hill Park. This nursery would grow and sell plants native to the Waltham area, serving as a cheap source for anyone interested in starting their own gardens with local plants.

The volunteers worked with precision, gathering the clipped knotweed into large piles as the pungent smell of fresh foliage circulated in the air.

Adams explained that the work can be repetitive. The group often stays in one spot, cutting down invasive species with garden shears for a few hours, but Adams said the group encourages people to work at their own pace.

 People of all ages and abilities are welcome, she said.

“It’s just fun to be outside in nature. It’s fun to give back,” she said.