ALTON - The Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois is calling for volunteers to support an Invasive Species Removal Workday 11/14/25
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The Invasive Species Removal Workday will give local community members the opportunity to take action to protect the environment here in the Metro East by removing invasive species from the bottom of the trail closest to the River Road at La Vista Park
“The Metro East is home to a unique ecosystem that contains three great rivers, oak-hickory forests, rich floodplains, and endangered nesting yellow-crowned night herons. Removing invasive species from our environment is crucial to our work to protect and conserve the Riverbend’s wild spaces so that they’re healthy for generations to come,” said Three Rivers Project Coordinator Christine Favilla.
Volunteers are needed between 9:30 am and 12:00 pm on Friday, November 14, at the bottom of the La Vista Trail. To get there from the Great River Scenic Byway, volunteers should turn into the Quatoga Bluffs subdivision on Iroquois Trail and follow the road to where it dead-ends at the trailhead. Event organizers recommend that volunteers wear comfortable clothing and closed-toed shoes. Tools and lunch will be provided to all participants. Please register for this event at sc.org/LaVistaWorkday. Any rain cancels.
Invasive species are non-native plants, animals, and insects that spread quickly. Once they take hold, they are difficult to remove and can have long-lasting, harmful economic and environmental impacts on natural areas, communities, and agricultural fields. Invasive plants are a serious threat to the long-term health of our natural ecosystems, said Chris Evans, University of Illinois Extension forestry and research specialist. “Invasive plants can crowd out native species, reduce wildlife habitat and forage, change the soil chemistry, and even limit the growth and regeneration of native trees,” said Evans, who serves on the Illinois Invasive Species Council, which recommended the additions. “It is important to recognize these species are harmful to Illinois and to take steps to reduce their impact.”
“We hope community members can join us to do our collective part to ensure invasive species don’t threaten the Riverbend’s vibrant ecosystem,” said Favilla.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.8 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information about Sierra Club’s work in Illinois, visit www.sierraclub.org/illinois.
