On November 5th, the City of Parkville and the Parkville Nature Sanctuary organized a volunteer day with the Heartland Tree Alliance to help remove an invasive plant species and plant over 30 native trees and shrubs at the Parkville Nature Sanctuary.
The Heartland Tree Alliance is a program run through Bridging the Gap whose mission is “to engage people of the Greater Kansas City region to take action and advocate for a healthy community forest.”
Volunteers helped to remove acres of honeysuckle, an invasive plant species found nearly anywhere that birds can go, and plant over 30 native trees and shrubs in its place. Some of the trees that were planted were Plum, Black Cherry, Downy Service Berry, Green Hawthorn and River Birch, just to name a few. They were planted near the picnic tables at the entrance to the sanctuary, along the trails by the streams and next to some of the benches for visitors to enjoy. These tree species will provide a source of food for native birds and an excellent habitat.
The Parkville Nature Sanctuary is a wildlife preserve and educational site developed and maintained by the City of Parkville with the help of a group of extraordinary volunteers. The Parkville Nature Sanctuary is a 115 acre natural outdoor area made accessible by nearly three miles of hiking trails. The main entrance of the Parkville Nature Sanctuary is at 12th Street off Highway 9, down the hill from the Platte County Health Department. It is open daily, sunrise to sunset.
More information about the Heartland Tree Alliance visit https://bridgingthegap.org/heartland-tree-alliance/. To volunteer at the Parkville Nature Sanctuary, contact Nature Sanctuary Director Kristen Bontrager at (816) 741-7676.