On Saturday, March 2, 2019, Southeastern Grassland Initiative (SGI) partnered with Dunbar Cave State Park for the Tennessee State Parks annual Weed Wrangle®. According to the Tennessee State Parks website, “The Weed Wrangle® is a state-wide clean-up event dedicated to ridding Tennessee of non-native plant species. Our intent as stewards of the environment is to support our partners in their commitment to removing invasive plants throughout Tennessee State Parks and Natural Areas.”

Volunteers from across the state showed up to help eradicate invasive plants in public spaces, including 15 volunteers led by SGI’s co-founder and Executive Director, Dr. Dwayne Estes, and other groups such as TN Promise and local Beta clubs. The day started with Dr. Dwayne Estes explaining the rich history of Dunbar Cave Park, what the goals were for the day, and which invasive species needed removal to bring the park back to the historic beauty once known to the area.

From there, volunteers spread out to pick up trash, cut back brush, and tackle the hard job of removing Chinese Privet, Bush Honeysuckle, Kudzu, and more invasive species which can choke out the native population of grassland species and native animals in the area. Even though the skies were dark and the weather chilly, the volunteers’ spirits were bright and their hearts warm. Plus, it wasn’t long before the volunteers worked up a sweat from the hard work of creating a cleaner park for everyone.

Controlling invasive species isn’t an easy job. This is especially true since most invasive weed control in parks is accomplished with manual labor from volunteers to avoid the use of herbicides as much as possible.

With a tough job like this, we asked volunteers why it’s important to volunteer in local parks and create spaces for residents to enjoy. Chase Martin is a regular volunteer to SGI events and this is what he had to say, "My wife and I always enjoy spending time outdoors. It is great to be able to join up with folks who share the same interests and to make a noticeable difference in a short amount of time. Our effort is the only thing we can control, and as long as those efforts continue in the right direction, we will continue to see change for the better."

SGI will continue spearheading efforts to restore Dunbar’s 15-acres of prairie back to its native state with monthly volunteer opportunities.

If you want to lose weight, get great exercise, get a dose of natural vitamin D, meet people who share a passion for nature, help your community, take out your frustrations wrangling obstinate weeds, and/or earn volunteer hours for your school or work program, follow Southeastern Grasslands Initiative on Facebook and Twitter to find out about future volunteer opportunities, which are also posted on the SGI website.

Remember, there are volunteer opportunities for the entire family and for all ages (children & teens are encouraged to attend with parents!). No tools required. We have tools. Just bring your gloves, lunch, water, and your passion for helping restore native grasslands.

We look forward to seeing you again!