On Saturday June 2nd, members of the INPAWS North Chapter along with Indiana Master Gardeners and Indiana Master Naturalists attended a “Learn and Work” event at Elkhart’s Wellfield Botanical Gardens.  This event was organized by INPAWS member Emma Wynn, and it was created with the purpose of educating participants about native and exotic plants while also providing a community service by removing invasive species from one side of the lake while introducing native plants into the former turf grass area on the other side.   Having native plants along the lake will not only beautify the area, but it will also help to discourage Canada Geese from congregating there. 

Professional Botanist and INPAWS North Chapter Treasurer Scott Namestnik Instructs Participants at the Start of the Event

Participants Learn Key Field Marks to Distinguish Between Native and Invasive Shoreline Plants

Volunteers worked to remove invasive species such as purple loosetrife, reed canary grass and canada thistle from along the shoreline

This grassy shoreline was planted with plugs of native rushes, sedges and emergent wetland forbs

Scott and Yours Truly Finishing off the last flats of Lupine and Shooting Star