Durham, N.C. - The Durham County Open Space Program will be hosting a volunteer workday at the New Hope Creek Bottomlands Trail on May 20, 2023, from 9 a.m. until noon. The workday will focus on managing invasive species along the trail. The event is a part of the DCo Open Space Program’s ongoing effort to protect biodiversity and wildlife in Durham County.

Participants in the upcoming workday will use various hand tools to remove invasive species like privet, a woody shrub that crowds out the native plants vital to our local ecosystems. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, invasive species are “plants, animals, or pathogens that are non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration, and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm. “

“This volunteer workday is a great way for residents to get outside, work up a sweat, and care for the County’s public lands,” said Open Space Specialist David Bradley.

Conservation is an active, hands-on process of repair and maintenance. Invasive species present one of the most serious threats to ecosystems and biological diversity, both locally and globally, but the good news is that workdays such as this one reduce the harm that these species cause. Volunteers can play a crucial role in the Open Space Program’s work to restore the County’s natural landscapes by pulling up plants like privet, monitoring species through citizen science projects, removing waste from waterways, and building sustainable trails that protect sensitive habitats.  

Citizens or groups interested in this event should sign up to volunteer at https://volunteer.activategood.org/opportunities/XWER3EauTT. Those who sign up will meet at the New Hope Creek Bottomlands Trail, located at Old Chapel Hill Road Park (3791 Southwest Durham Drive). Volunteers must be 8 years of age or older to participate.

Click here for more information about volunteering or contact David Bradley at 919-560–0093 or dabradley@dconc.gov.

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