KSU Forestry and Natural Resources Invasive Species Removal Report
East Frankfort Park | Autumn 2024 – Spring 2025

Kentucky State University’s Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) program has continued its partnership with the Remove Invasives Partnership, the Frankfort-Franklin County Joint Task Force on Invasives, and Frankfort Parks and Recreation to combat invasive plant species in the woodlands of East Frankfort Park.

These efforts focus on the removal of highly invasive species such as bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) and wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei), which threaten native biodiversity. Clearing these species not only enhances the natural beauty and safety of the park for visitors but also restores habitat critical to local songbirds, small mammals, and native wildflowers.

The volunteer removal sessions held in autumn 2024 have already yielded tangible ecological benefits. By spring 2025, new native wildflowers—some not seen in the area for many years—have begun to reemerge, a sign of ecological recovery following the removal of invasive growth.

Over the course of several volunteer days, more than 20 participants contributed to the removal efforts. Volunteers represented a diverse range of ages and backgrounds, including local high school students who engaged in meaningful conservation work and environmental stewardship.