Weed Wrangle

Tennessee State Parks is again partnering with the Garden Club of America with a nationwide single-day volunteer event on March 7th. Join Park Rangers on the Springfield Trail at North Chick State Park to remove encroaching English Ivy. English Ivy is an invasive species which is known to outcompete native ground plants for space and nutrients and inhibit the canopy growth of trees. We will work to remove the ivy by cutting it back with hand tools. We will be working for about 2 hours. Please come prepared for this event by wearing weather-appropriate shoes and clothing. Expect to get dirty and/or wet; older clothing may be better suited for this manual labor activity. You may bring your own hand tools, or tools will be provided. Gloves will also be provided. Bring a reusable water bottle and snacks. Water will also be provided by Rangers. There are no restroom facilities on the trail. The closest restroom is located at the Circle K gas station. Parking will be at Ivy Academy, and the Park Rangers will meet you at this location. From the Ivy Academy Parking lot, travel to the Springfield Trail on foot to the work location. The trail to the marked location for removal is a combination of dirt and rock; it will take approximately 10 minutes to walk to this location from the parking lot. Those participating in this activity should be able to use hand tools to remove plants with stems or stumps less than 5 inches in diameter. In addition to English Ivy, this area is also known to host poison ivy. Work gloves and long sleeves are encouraged.