In June, Wigry National Park organized two IAS removal actions – one in cooperation with the City of Suwałki within the city, and another in the park’s own territory.
On June 17, we met with students and teachers from Primary School No. 10 in Suwałki at the Suwałki Boulevards. Under the supervision of employees from the Suwałki Municipal Roads and Greenery Authority, we worked together to remove knotweed (Reynoutria spp.) from the banks of the Czarna Hańcza River. As it turned out, the work was by no means easy – the knotweed proved to be a tough opponent, even for the 50 participants involved. Before the action began, there was a short lecture on invasive alien species followed by a quiz with prizes. Participants received small gifts, and at the end of the event, a delicious meal awaited everyone to help them regain their strength.
On June 22, students from Primary School No. 7 in Suwałki arrived at the Wigry National Park headquarters. The meeting began with a presentation on invasive alien plant species, followed by a knowledge quiz where everyone received promotional items funded by the project. The next part of the meeting was the field action, where the students helped remove box elder maple (Acer negundo). Through hands-on experience, the students learned to distinguish between native maple, ash, and the invasive box elder maple. After participating in such an action, everyone could clearly see why the box elder maple is considered an invasive alien species. To conclude the event, all participants gathered around a campfire for a hot meal. A total of 60 students took part in this action.
