Celina Aldermen Hear About Forestry Grant Opportunity

Celina continuing efforts to remove an invasive species from Donaldson Park.

The Board of Aldermen learned more about a Division of Forestry grant opportunity. Program Specialist Hannah Hollowell said the city can get up to $10,000 to fund the project.

“By removing invasive plants, we’re giving native species more room to grow, and it also promotes forest health, habitat and things like that,” Hollowell said. “So there’s a lot of benefits to that.”

Hollowell said the grant requires a match, making the total possible amount $20,000. Volunteer Jason Upton who started the invasive species removal project recommended for the Board to take advantage.

“We really need to get help from these people and build a relationship,” Upton said. “They are a part of the weed wrangle group. Eventually, we hope to work with them to organize a group of people and pull some of that up by hand.”

No action was taken by the Board after the presentation. Upton said city workers have already begun some in-house work to remove the invasive species.

“The effort the city has already done is looking great down there,” Upton said. “They’ve down some bush hogging on the privet. To use that as an example of what we’re talking about, what they’ve already done you can look at it and see how much it beautifies the park.”

According to Upton, wooded areas of Donaldson Park is overtaken by a plant called the Chinese Privet.