CINCINNATI — Bill Berger stepped over fallen trees, his feet crunching leaves. He walked up a hill. Eventually, he sat down on a tree stump. He was looking for garlic mustard and he has been having trouble finding any.
A few years ago, he never could have imagined this problem.
Garlic mustard is one of dozens of invasive species in Parker Woods in Northside. And it's part of at least 2,000 acres of invasive plants throughout Cincinnati’s park system.
At one time, Berger couldn’t see the ground here. It was covered with honeysuckle, wintercreeper and garlic mustard.
“Just accessing the park was very difficult,” Berger said.
Today, the problem and the progress can be seen on one path in the middle of Parker Woods. One side of the path is filled with green invasive plants. The other side is brown. Brown is good because it gives room for native plants to bloom again.
Plants that are meant to be here. Plants that support the birds and other animals in the city.
Cincinnati has five regional parks, 70 neighborhood parks and 34 natural areas. In those parks, two out of every five acres of land has invasive plants, according to park officials.
"Almost every property we have has some issue with invasive plants," a Conservation Technician with Cincinnati Parks, Drew Goebel said. “It's not an easy issue to solve.”
When Goebel and a colleague inspect Parker Woods one day this spring, they acknowledge the work they still have to do.
"Look out into the future 100 years from now. Will we still have forests as we think of them? Without intervention, I don't think that we will,” Goebel said.
That’s because pulling plants out of the ground isn’t enough. Without ongoing maintenance, they'll grow back. In 2022, officials said volunteers spent 8,000 hours removing invasive plants in Cincinnati.
Berger is one of those volunteers. He's the vice president of Northside Greenspace, a nonprofit organization that focuses on preserving and restoring natural areas. It’s one of the organizations trying to help fix this issue.
Berger grew up near Winton Woods, and some of his most cherished childhood memories are from spending time in the park. Now retired, this is what he does instead of going to the gym.
“You can get lost in here,” he said.
Not as much anymore, though.
Berger points through the trees to a Montessori school where he volunteers. When he started there, he couldn’t see the building.
As he walked out of the park, Berger noticed a fort made of tree branches in the middle of the woods. It mad him smile. It reminded him of his own childhood.
He only found a few garlic mustard today, and that made him smile too.
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To be a part of the solution, think twice about the plants you buy for your home garden. Here are a few commonly purchased invasive plantsin Ohio that could do damage to the surrounding area:
- Maiden hair grass: This is a favorite because it requires minimal maintenance, but the seeds spread easily and it’s been found growing in wild areas.
- Barberry: This is sold in most garden stores, but the maroon plant spreads easily.
- Burning bush: This shrub is known for its bright red leaves.
- Wisteria: This plant has been found emerging around the edges of nature preserves, escaping from nearby residences.
- English ivy: The roots grow below the surface and pop up everywhere, even bothering fully mature trees. A fence will not stop it.
