Every fall and spring, WRISC joins the Iron Mountain Environmental Club at their school forest for an invasive species workday. Students have been tediously removing invasive Buckthorn, Honeysuckles, Japanese Barberry, and Autumn Olive over the last couple of years and the improvement under the forest canopy is significant!
This year, instead of removing invasives from the forest, students brought something back. With the help of WRISC, the Environmental Club planted 160 native shrubs and trees! These included species like Dogwood, Serviceberry, Black Elderberry, Common Chokecherry, and Elms! Native shrubs increase the diversity of the forest and attract beneficial wildlife to the area.
WRISC will be back with the Environmental Club in the fall to check on the progress of plantings and remove more invasive species from the area!