Weed Warriors – Earth Day 2021 – Celebrating seniors and cleaning up our environment

Join Weed Warriors on April 22, 2021 (Earth Day) at 11am at Waterfront Park across from the Senior and Community Center to celebrate our ‘two shot green seniors’ and focus on cleaning up the park and removing non-native species such as ivy, mother of millions, stinky bob and more. Spend the day outside, learning about invasive plant species and helping to preserve and protect our trees and other native plants.

BRING: garden gloves and tools such as garden spades, pruners, narrow shovels, and digging forks are especially helpful (however, if you don’t own those things, extras will be available). This is April in the PNW, so dress for rain and shine. How long will it take? That’s up to you—whenever you feel tired of weeding, chatting, and taking pictures, you’re done. Masks and social distancing are required, and they suggest you bring your own snacks and water.

Weed Warriors founder, Jeannette Franks, came to Bainbridge Island almost 25 years ago when she began her transition into retirement. She and her husband, Dick Baker, purchased a lovely property, which was located on a steep bank. Noting the bank would need to be stabilized to protect their new home, Jeannette and Dick began to remove noxious weeds from their property in order to restore native species, which in turn would protect their new home.

This process was far from easy and involved removing approximately an acre of ivy around their home. However, the reward was the resurgence of native huckleberries, ferns, Oregon grape and many other species natural to Bainbridge Island. It also ignited a new passion for Jeannette; the preservation and protection of the island from invasive plant species. In 2004 she invited anyone and everyone to join her for a meeting at IslandWood to discuss the removal of noxious weeds on the island—a dozen plant enthusiasts arrived and Weed Warriors was born.

Today Weed Warriors is comprised of an all-volunteer partnership consisting of amateur and professional gardeners as well as environmental advocates. In addition, they work closely with several organizations, such as IslandWood, Sustainable Bainbridge, BI Land Trust, City of Bainbridge Island, BI Parks Foundation, BI Parks & Rec, BI Watershed Council, Association of Bainbridge Communities, schools, service groups, and Kitsap Weed Board just to name a few.

FREE Invasive Weed Disposal at BI Disposal Transfer Station on Sunday, April 18 and 25, 10 am to 4 pm. BI Land Trust covers the cost of disposal. Target plants (habitat snatchers) are Scotch Broom, English holly, English ivy, Himalayan blackberry, tansy ragwort, and English laurel. Please do not mix in non-invasive yard waste.

Please feel free to contact Jeannette Franks at jfranks1@comcast.net if you’d like additional information.

*Images and logos used with permission from Weed Warriors