The U.S. Forest Service is recruiting volunteers to help remove invasive garlic mustard at recreational areas in the Hoosier National Forest.
Volunteers armed with gloves and plastic bags were out Saturday pulling up the plant by its roots at Blackwell Horsecamp south of Bloomington.
Ellen Jacquart was one of them. She’s a former botanist with the forest service who remembers when the plant made its debut in the area.
“We were not able to get it under control,” Jacquart said. “And so here we are 20 years later, still chasing garlic mustard and trying to keep it from taking over this forest.”
The next volunteer day is Tuesday at the Hickory Ridge Horsecamp from 9:30 to noon. Future volunteers can learn more and sign up at the service’s Hoosier National Forest Facebook page.
The Forest Service provides water and hand sanitizer. All involved must wear masks and maintain social distancing.
