The scouts and their families pulled more than 20 large garbage bags of the invasive plant garlic mustard. Photo contributed
Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and their families worked side by side over two weekend work days to remove invasive plant garlic mustard from Difficult Run Stream Valley park in Oakton.
Volunteers from Girl Scout troops 40, 3173, 56016 and 56032; Cub Scout pack 1530; and Boy Scout troops 13, 187, 987 and 1983 partnered with Fairfax County Park Authority's Invasive Management Area program, a community-based, volunteer driven initiative to remove invasive plants from our park lands.
These scouts and their families pulled more than 20 large garbage bags of the invasive plant garlic mustard. In addition to removing this highly aggressive, non-native plant, these youth volunteers have become experts in the importance of removing invasive plants and restoring natural habitat.
Invasive species are non-native species that cause ecological or economic harm. They share certain characteristics, such as being able to mature quickly and generate many offspring, and they can tolerate a range of habitats.
If you decide to remove garlic mustard from your property, be sure to bag it and dispose of it as garbage, not as yard waste. If disposed as yard waste, the seeds will eventually find their way back in the soil and aggressively take over park lands and people's yards. For more information, go to https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/invasive-management-area