EAST LANSING, Mich. — To honor and celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, some community members in East Lansing made sure Harrison Meadows Park is a little cleaner.
“In honor of MLK, we are having the special work day to improve access to the park," said stewardship program intern Willow Krupin. "Phragmites gets really really tall. So you can't see the wetland that's here, and it also impedes the environmental services of the wetland. So removing it improves the park for everyone.”
The East Lansing Environmental Stewardship Program along with community members helped clear out phragmites, an invasive species plant.
The group usually meets on the second Saturday every month at different parks in the city, but as part of the Michigan Community Service Commission's Day of Service for MLK Day, they met an extra day this month.
"Our next one will be Feb. 11 at White Park," Krupin said. "That one will be focusing on buckthorn, but we've had others for invasive bamboo, garlic mustard and, of course, phragmites."
Krupin said it's not only important to remove the invasive species on the holiday but every day, and it can be fun too.
"I love this program," Krupin said. "I kind of found it on a whim, and I emailed my supervisor and was like, do you have an internship? And she said yes, and now, here I am. I encourage everybody to do the same."
Anyone looking to get involved in future park clean ups can check out the East Lansing Healthy Parks Facebook pagefor future dates or email Krupin at wkrupin@cityofeastlansing.com.
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