Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) collaborates with partner organizations annually to host a variety of ivy removal and educational events in multiple locations across the Portland area on No Ivy Day. This year the event takes place Saturday, October 24 and features ivy removal volunteer work parties, the Explore Your Park Series (EYP) and the Know-Ivy Crafting Workshop.
In SE, work parties will take place at Mt. Tabor Park, Leach Botanical Garden and Knapp Falls. Most work parties take place 9 am-12 pm, although there may be some variation depending on location. Additional work parties take place in N, NE, NW, SW and greater Portland.
EYP is a free program for all ages that offers hands-on activities, scavenger hunts, creature features and more. PP&R will set up by the Mt. Tabor playground at Mt. Tabor Park 11 am-1 pm. No registration required; just swing on by and learn about the plants and animals that call this special place home.
The Know-Ivy Crafting Workshop, at Rice School Gym 1-3 pm, is the perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to learn about restoration efforts in Portland, get creative and connect with community. Materials and instruction to create an ivy basket or basic ivy flower wreath will be provided, as well as information about some of the challenges Portland experiences with introduced (non-native) plants like English ivy. Registration is required.
Removing English and Irish Ivy is done to keep it under control in our local ecosystems. Since it is not native to this area, it didn’t evolve with wildlife that eats it or parasites that destroy it, and it survives through our relatively mild winters just fine. These ivies are a popular, fast-growing garden and landscaping plant and birds love its tasty berries. For these reasons, ivy has been able to gain a strong foothold in our natural areas.
English and Irish Ivy are able to grow in dense carpets across the forest floor, taking resources from native plants that support wildlife. Invasively growing ivy also climbs trees, adding weight that can cause them to topple during storms. By removing ivy and planting native species, we give our native plants and wildlife a fighting chance to survive and thrive in our beautiful and unique urban natural areas.
Visit bit.ly/4d8Dlgu for full details on the work parties and for a link to register for the Know-Ivy Workshop.