Town celebrates launch of massive project to save neglected park: 'If we didn't do this, it'll be like a jungle'

When East Hampton Town purchased the 42-acre Springs Park in 2002, hopes for its management and communal usage were high.

The former owner had tended to the land with the goal of encouraging native plant and species growth — and according to its former management plan, it had become "the home of a diversified array of birds and animals; deer, box turtles, and squirrels."

But in the years following the town's purchase, a complete lack of management or rules regarding the space paved the way for the land to turn into an unofficial dog park, according to the East Hampton Star. And even when the town council introduced a management plan in 2009, it was not maintained.

Over time, the Star explained, this has resulted in a park where "piles of poop [are] nearly as widespread as the invasives." The constant presence of off-leash dogs also endangers local wildlife, many of whom build nests or burrows on the ground.

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But after many residents protested the mismanagement of the space, the town is finally taking action. It recently completed a pilot invasive species removal project, clearing an acre of the park of autumn olive. The single acre removal cost the town $23,112 to a landscaping company — but to Scott Wilson, the town's director of land acquisition and management, it was a worthwhile investment.

"If we didn't do this, it'll be like a jungle," he told the Star after the work was complete. "This entire park, including this trail we're standing on. If we didn't constantly cut back, you would have nothing. This was a 100% unusable acre. A year from now, it's going to look like that grassy field over there."

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Whether it's a public park or a private lawn, clearing invasive species is often an uphill battle, especially if they have been allowed to grow unchecked for years. But if you are able to clear the space and rewild it with native plants, that will discourage future invasive growth and promote a healthy habitat for native animal species, too — including pollinators.

It's also vastly more affordable. Maintaining native plant lawns requires significantly less water and effort since they have already adapted to thrive in their environment.

In regard to Springs Park, one resident told the Star that while the clearing project was an improvement on its previous state, she hoped that the town would also follow through on a "plan to revegetate the area, or at the very least a plan to protect emerging native species."

Should we be actively working to kill invasive species?

Absolutely 💯