The NatureWorks Crew putting on an epic skit for the Green Teen Alliance
A Day's Work is a series of posts that will transport you to the field with our summer teen employment programs. You might get dirty just by reading them!
Forest Park is widely known for its major attractions. Hordes of visitors flock to the park to visit the St Louis Zoo, the multitude of museums, and to snap selfies near the Grand Basin. But this isn’t the only side of the park! This summer, a special group of 10 high school students and recent graduates are working to make sure the natural (dare we say wild?) side of Forest Park doesn’t go unnoticed. They’re called NatureWorks.
The NatureWorks crew works primarily to restore the waterway in the park, creating a natural corridor for the native plants and animals of St Louis to thrive. On a regular basis, you can hear the roar of mowers thundering to keep invasive species at bay. You can see soil knives piercing the ground as the crew removes winter creeper and sweet clover. You can smell the mud and algae as boots and waders trudge through the waterway. Despite the long, tough, and sweaty summer days, the crew is always quick to a smile and ready for the task ahead.
Determined to make our riparian buffers beautiful and a functioning ecological system, the work our Nature Works Team puts in will be enjoyed by Forest Park visitors now and forever.
Billy Haag, NatureWorks Field Coordinator, Forest Park Forever