Fore! An Invasive Species Awareness Project

In the summer of 2021, the Clark County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) was contacted by the Southern Indiana (SOIN) Disc Golf Club, who maintain a disc golf course in Lapping Park in Clarksville, IN. The group was worried about the degradation of their course due to the foot traffic it receives from players, and visitors to the park who use it as a hiking trail. Large areas of the course have lost vegetation due to all the activity. An environmentally conscious group, the SOIN Disc Golf Club are aware of invasive species and were concerned that invasives would take over the course if site conditions worsened. A site visit from Floyd County Purdue Extension, Clark County SWCD, and SICIM’s South Central Regional Specialist, Kaila Knies, confirmed a heavy infestation of Japanese Stiltgrass and other invasive species. The site visit also confirmed the group’s concerns regarding erosion. Control methods were recommended, but the club wanted to do more than just control. They wanted to educate visitors to the course about the environmental improvements they were making. Thus, this project was born!

Volunteers removing invasive species and improving trails in the park, photo by Kaila Knies

The SOIN Disc Golf Club partnered up with Clark County SWCD, Floyd County Purdue Extension, SICIM, Clarksville Parks and Recreation, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Clark County Harmful Invasives Removal Project (CCHIRP), and The Floyd County Native Habitat Restoration Team (FCNHRT) to apply for a grant from the Friends of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) to install native plant gardens along the disc golf course to combat erosion, restore habitat, and alter the walking paths of players and visitors. The NACD only funds eight projects per year across the nation. In early 2022, they received word that the project was funded!

The gardens will be located at the disc golf course holes 1, 5, 6, 11 and 17. Holes 1 and 5 were selected because they are highly visible to the public just passing by the course. Holes 6, 11, and 17 were selected because they have erosion issues that would benefit from native plantings. A mix of native trees, shrubs, and plants will be found in the gardens. A team of professionals from SICIM, DNR, and Floyd County Purdue Extension met with the SOIN Disc Golf Club, Clark County SWCD, and Clarksville Parks and Recreation to brainstorm a plant list for each site. Plants were selected specifically for the conditions present at each site. The garden at hole 1 is at the front of the course and is most visible to the public. It is the largest of the gardens and will house native shrubs such as smooth hydrangea and common witch-hazel as well as native herbaceous plants such as zigzag goldenrod. The garden at hole 5 will be planted entirely with native herbaceous plants such as blue lobelia and penstemon. hole 6 will be planted with native understory tree species such as redbud due to the erosion taking place at the site. Native ferns such as cinnamon fern will populate holes 11 and 17 as they are heavily shaded, and the soil stays moist year-round.

SOIN Disc Golf Club course

Additionally, this project will include two workshops. A native plant workshop on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Lapping Park disc golf course Clarksville, IN. A short presentation on native plants will be given at the start of the workshop and then participants can assist in planting the five gardens. The second workshop will be focused on invasive plant identification and include a Weed Wrangle which is taking place on Thursday, September 15, 2022, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Garry E. Cavan Park. in Georgetown, IN. They will also be “wrangling” invasive plants from the landscape surrounding the disc golf course. Partner staff will assist participants in invasive identification and control methods. If you would like more information on this project please reach out to the Clark County SWCD at 812-256-2330 ext. 3.