The Kentucky State University Forestry and Natural Resources program designed and implemented a invasive plant management demonstration project at Capital View Park, Frankfort, KY. This project was designed to aid a local partner, the Frankfort/Franklin County Joint Task Force on Invasives, by providing a reference management site to inform local, collaborative efforts.

Approximately 4-acres of severely impacted, publicly-accessible forest were delineated due to:

• Designation as a Priority 1 site as ranked by the partnering task force
• Expected positive ecological benefit relative to other park areas
• Regular, public accessibility and use by multiple interest groups including public hikers and runner and a local mountain biking group

The site received an initial, 2-day brush management treatment during December 2023 and March 2023. This first of three management phases demonstrated the efficient use of processes and equipment with both experienced and inexperienced practitioners. Approximate costs of materials, equipment, and supplies and labor hours are being supplied to our partner. This information in addition to the visual impact to the site is enabling local groups and municipal agencies to more accurately plan future projects needing labor and funding. 

Almost immediately after completing phase 1, the City of Frankfort Parks and Recreation Dept. began purchasing equipment used in this project for brush management in their extensive park forests. KYSU Forestry and Natural Resources also began planning equipment training with these partners. Additionally, the task force began community-wide discussion of the site in order to raise funding and better plan cooperative efforts for this important management practice. 

Phase 2 treatment will begin in September 2024 to demonstrate the next step of appropriate management. Phase 3 will include a spring 2025 treatment and summertime plant community survey. These data will provide an example of complete and effective invasive plant management effort that includes cost and labor effort. Local entities can now improve their planning which includes forest health management and make better use of funding and personnel resources.