No More English Ivy

The effects of English Ivy and how we can stop it.By Sydney

The Invaders

English Ivy was brought here from England (hence the name). It has taken over many native plants here. Though it is cruel to beautiful plants, many people enjoy it and plant more.

The Identification

• English Ivy, like all plants has it’s own ID.• It is slightly star shaped( five soft points)• The main vine is the thickest of all the vines• It is a very structural plant and loves to climb

What it Does

• First, the English Ivy will grow up it’s victim plant and get all tangled in the branches. Purposely suffocating the plant.

• Then it will grow so high, that if any chances of survival are left, they are completely destroyed. The Ivy blocks out the sun and catches the rain for itself.

• Either way it is whither and die for the victim plant.

One Good Thing

There is one good thing that English Ivy does. It helps erosion control. Erosion is when a lot of rain falls on a hill and washes away the land. The strong roots of the ivy helps to hold the land in place, preventing erosion.

The Animals that need us

Should we remove English Ivy? Birds may eat English Ivy berries, but the berries are poisonous. Be careful, and don’t eat all fruit you see. Actually, these Norwegian rats live in English Ivy and need it to survive.

Controlled vs. Wild

When I say controlled, I mean that people are taking care of the ivy. Trimming it back, planting more, watering it, etc. When I say wild, I mean that the ivy is growing on it’s own accord. Not wanted there, not noticed, not cared about, etc.Controlled Wild

Compare and Contrast

Is it Controlled or Wild? Is This Ivy Controlled? Oh yeah. Nope.

Once it was not, but now it is.

Where can you find English Ivy?

• Left : Someone LOVES their ivy.

• Bottom: Our most typical forests.

Generally you can find English Ivy in the parks, or forests. But as you can see above, many people want it as another decoration. Next time you’re in a car or out for a walk, look around and take note of how much ivy you see.

Guess What

I figured out recently that my neighbors are keeping controlled English Ivy!!!! But I mean, I can’t really blame them. It was really chaotic, wild and growing every where. At that point all they could do was trim it back. But still. They should have reduced it or removed it before that. Left: They English Ivy

In My Neighborhood

I Have Found These in My Neighborhood

In My Neighborhood continued

How to stop it

NO MORE!! Let’s end this tyranny.

Here are some ideas on how to stop the invading species. Go out to a park. It shouldn’t take long to find some ivy. Start to pull it up and dig out the roots. Try to leave as little as possible still there. Bring it home and throw it in the yard waste. Easy, right?

Don’t Stop Trying

There is always more we can do. Don’t plant English Ivy for fun. It is lethal to other plants. If you see ivy growing on public property ( especially parks) remind your self to come back later and pull it out. If there is ivy growing on your property, warn your parents and possibly remove it.

Hope and Future

Are goal is not to wipe out English Ivy (especially because there is a lot of erosion here), but to simply minimize it and be better supervisors. In this way we can make sure that it doesn’t run rampant, but still use it for erosion control. And you can help.

Be Honest

I am going to be honest with you. Before I knew what English Ivy does, I used to think it was pretty, and wanted some for myself. But that all changed when I went to kindergarten, and parents told me what it does. I pledged myself to keep trying to get rid of it. I hope that now that you know the truth you will do the same.

Here is a quick quiz

1.Do you remember if birds need us to save native plants or not?

Yes, they do. click above for answer

2. Will you help make a difference?I hope your answer was yes. click above for answer