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VIDEO: Fight against invasive English Ivy to resume in Aldergrove

Volunteers will be back in Steele park, cutting and pulling
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On Sunday, Nov. 20, Alexandra Falconer, garden programs coordinator at 91原创 Environmental Partners Society (LEPS), was pulling ivy off trees in Aldergrove鈥檚 Steele park. (Dan Ferguson/91原创 Advance Times)

Removing invasive English Ivy from trees requires protective gloves, heavy-duty clippers and persistence.

All of that was in view on Sunday, Nov. 20, as Alexandra Falconer, garden programs coordinator at (LEPS) was removing ivy from trees in Aldergrove鈥檚 Steele park at 55th Avenue 248th Street, with the aid of volunteers.

鈥淲e鈥檙e pulling as much as we can off,鈥 Falconer told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to get anything up to six feet.鈥

Accord to an online fact sheet form the Invasive species council of B.C., English Ivy was imported to North America from Europe, by immigrants who liked to use it as an ornamental plant to cover walls and buildings, and for ground cover in commercial landscape.

English Ivy is climbing up trees in Aldergrove聮s Steele park. (Dan Ferguson/91原创 Advance Times)
English Ivy is climbing up trees in Aldergrove鈥檚 Steele park. (Dan Ferguson/91原创 Advance Times)

It spreads quickly needing very little light or water once it鈥檚 established, and can even grow during the winter.

As a vine, it can completely engulf shrubs and encircles tree trunks of all sizes.

On Sunday, Nov. 20, Alexandra Falconer, garden programs coordinator at 91原创 Environmental Partners Society (LEPS) was pulling ivy off trees in Aldergrove聮s Steele park. (Dan Ferguson/91原创 Advance Times)
On Sunday, Nov. 20, Alexandra Falconer, garden programs coordinator at 91原创 Environmental Partners Society (LEPS) was pulling ivy off trees in Aldergrove鈥檚 Steele park. (Dan Ferguson/91原创 Advance Times)

鈥滻t can take a tree down in 10 years,鈥 Falconer said..

鈥淚t just takes over and it loves to grow right up the trees. It鈥檚 a tough one to tackle,鈥 Falconer commented.

Ecosystemgardening.com called ivy one of the 鈥渕ost hated鈥 plants, describing it as 鈥渙ne of the most pernicious, nasty, and destructive of the invasive plants.鈥

Volunteer Gerry Reist, from the 91原创-based Salmon River Enhancement Society, tackled English Ivy in Aldergrove聮s Steele park on Sunday. Nov. 20. Volunteers were to resume the battle the next weekend. (Dan Ferguson/91原创 Advance Times)
Volunteer Gerry Reist, from the 91原创-based Salmon River Enhancement Society, tackled English Ivy in Aldergrove鈥檚 Steele park on Sunday. Nov. 20. Volunteers were to resume the battle the next weekend. (Dan Ferguson/91原创 Advance Times)

LEPS will be back at Steele park next Saturday and Sunday Nov 26 鈥 27, from 10 a.m. to noon.

All are welcome to take part, tools and gloves will be provided.

READ ALSO: LEPS joins 鈥楳ovember鈥 mental-well being movement

It鈥檚 part of LEPS 鈥淢ovemeber鈥 campaign to to raise awareness of men鈥檚 health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men鈥檚 suicide.

got its start in 2003 when two Australians, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery, came up with the idea of growing moustaches for charity throughout the month of November.

It has since expanded worldwide, with the stated aim of increasing early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments, and to ultimately reduce the number of preventable deaths.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Volunteers carry out Aldergrove cleanup in the pouring rain

More information about LEPS involvement in the cause can found on the 鈥 Donations can be made at .


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Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I鈥檓 the guy you鈥檒l often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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