Our parks need you!

Milwaukee County Parks contain most of the county’s remaining natural areas. These valuable areas are seriously threatened by aggressive non-native plants referred to as “invasive weeds.” Invasive weeds can dominate an area so completely that they crowd out native wildflowers, shrubs, and even trees. When the native plants are gone, so are the wildlife that depend on them. Some of the worst invasive weeds affecting our parks include garlic mustard, dame’s rocket, buckthorn and honeysuckle. In fact, many parks’ natural areas are already overrun by one or more of these swift-spreading species. If nothing is done to reverse this trend, the beauty, ecological, and economic health of our park system will be in jeopardy.

Join the Friends of Grant Park each spring and fall as we work to remove invasive weeds that threaten our park’s plant diversity. If you would like to participate, even if only for a portion of the morning, come prepared to work: we recommend wearing a long sleeve shirt, long pants, socks and sturdy shoes (long pants and socks are good for tick prevention). We will provide bags for collection and bug spray if desired. Middle and High School teams are encouraged to participate, as are congregations and businesses.

Dames rocket (Hesperis matronalis)

2020 Spring Weed Out sessions: Due to coronavirus precautions, WeedOuts have been cancelled. We appreciate your desire to assist our eradication efforts, but in the interest of the greater community, we need to prioritize health and safety over park projects. Please check our website in the fall to see if our fall weed-out program will also be cancelled.