– Photos courtesy of Zionsville Parks and Rec
Students, staff and chaperones from Zionsville West Middle School spent their day yesterday morning with the Zionsville Parks and Recreation team to rid Starkey Park of invasive garlic mustard plants.
The sixth grade students at Zionsville West Middle School teamed up with the Parks Department to clean up Starkey Park by removing the invasive species of garlic mustard, which resulted in the students filling an entire truck for disposal.
Garlic mustard is an invasive species that threatens the biodiversity and variety of life in a habitat by spreading rapidly and siphoning resources needed for the prosperity of native plants in the area. The plant spreads its seeds through the wind and spreads rapidly, immersing itself into the ecosystem from fields to forests to emerge early in the spring and siphon the resources needed for native plants to sprout as they begin to grow later inthe spring.
As the native plants begin to grow, the garlic mustard has already reached heights that block the sunlight while utilizing the moisture and vital nutrients the native plants need, effectively stunting the growth of native plants or causing the native plants to die.
Garlic mustard’s roots also release chemicals that alter the underground network of fungi in the soil that connect nurtients between the native plants, effectively starving and stunting the native plants further as they begin to multiply.
“We love working with the Zionsville Community Schools students,” the department released. “Great job.”
