Honeysuckle in the landscape might sound sweet, but in the forests of Columbus, Ohio, its presence is quite bitter.
The Amur honeysuckle, in particular -- while not posing any problems in its origin countries of China, Japan and Korea -- is incredibly invasive in the United States. All across Columbus, Amur honeysuckle is dominating the native forest, choking out native shrub species that birds and other wildlife depend on for survival.
Building upon last year’s TogetherGreen Innovation Grant, the Grange Insurance Audubon Center will expand the scope of Amur honeysuckle removal from the Important Bird Area that houses the center to targeted backyards within a 5-mile radius of the center. Backyards will be identified by capturing aerial data and homeowners will be invited to participate in “Save our Shrubs,” a series of workshops, trips to the Audubon center and a tool kit to remove the honeysuckle and replace it with a native shrub. At the same time, local high school students will assist the Audubon Center staff in mapping the Important Bird Area’s response to the ongoing Amur honeysuckle removal and native plant replacement. Students taking part will be able to receive high school and intern credit.
The Columbus Urban League and other downtown settlement houses and community centers will host Save Our Shrubs workshops to participants and assist in providing outreach in the community.
Save our Shrubs hopes to reduce the Amur honeysuckle population, boost the health of native species, and provide local students and residents with opportunities to learn valuable skills, all while increasing biodiversity in the forests of Columbus.