Et cetera : NCCC Explores the Natural World Inside Milwaukee

Milwaukee may be known for the Brewers and Harley-Davidson but there is something else extraordinary inside America's 28th-largest city: Trees and rivers are just as present as buildings and streets there. Milwaukee County is home to over 140 parks covering nearly 15,000 acres of land.

For seven weeks, AmeriCorps NCCC team, Oak 7, is working with the Milwaukee Parks and the River Revitalization Foundation (RRF). Three rivers run through the county: the Menomone, the Kinnickinnick and the Milwaukee. Water purity and native plant restoration are high tasks on the agenda of Milwaukee Parks and RRF's. The team is in the area until November 2, doing trail building, invasive species removal, seed collection and various other tasks to preserve Milwaukee's natural land. The NCCC team has been pulling many invasive species since their arrival in Milwaukee. The species of plant that Oak 7 is getting especially familiar with is Buckthorn. is an invasive plant species that has settled along riverbeds, taking away soil and space from native plants. The plant can range in size from a two-inch sapling to a small tree and settles along riverbeds, taking away soil and space from native plants. There are many plants to preserve in this area as well. Oak 7 has collected seeds from over nine different native plant species, including milkweed, white indigo, compass plant, prairie dock and Indian grass. These seeds will help repopulate natural areas with native plants, and create more ecologically diverse parks. Oak 7 is excited to keep the parks beautiful and accessible for generations to come.