The Appalachian Trail Conservancy announced that a total of 2,772 pounds of the invasive, non-native plant garlic mustard have been removed from the Appalachian Trail corridor. The removal efforts, carried out by 169 volunteers who contributed more than 750 hours, were part of the ATC’s 2015 Garlic Mustard Challenge.
“The first ever Appalachian Trail Garlic Mustard Challenge was a huge success thanks to all the Trail Management Clubs and volunteers who participated,” said Marian Orlousky, northern resource management coordinator for the ATC. “The removal of garlic mustard on such a large scale not only went a long way to reduce garlic mustard spread along the Appalachian Trail, but it was also a great way to educate and empower volunteers.”
Garlic mustard was chosen as the 2015 Invasive Trail Plant of the Year because of its ability to invade a variety of natural environments, including undisturbed forested areas. Garlic mustard not only deprives native plants of sunlight, moisture and space, but also releases a chemical compound into the ground that inhibits growth of surrounding plants. Despite its tenacious nature, garlic mustard can easily be pulled by hand, making it an excellent candidate for volunteer removal efforts.
For more information about the 2015 Garlic Mustard Challenge, visit http://www.appalachiantrail.org/garlicmustard.