News : AmeriCorps NCCC making a difference in Milwaukee County

Corps member Mat Turner cutting down a buckthorn tree

By: Dave and Lacy, Cedar 3

Since their departure from Vinton, Iowa, Cedar Three has traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to participate in several environmental projects for the Milwaukee County Parks Department and Groundwork Milwaukee. During the spike, Cedar Three members have worked on a variety of different assignments that have benefited the surrounding community. Throughout their eight week stay, Cedar Three has resided in a former hostel in Greendale; a suburb of Milwaukee.

This AmeriCorps NCCC team has worked in six different parks within Milwaukee County. Cedar Three partnered with the Milwaukee County Parks Department to remove invasive plant species. Two species in particular, Honeysuckle and Buckthorn, invade the forest grounds by blocking sunlight, taking up nutrients that other plants need which eventually leads to the decrease in the native plant population. Cedar Three has utilized the removed invasive species to build a natural fence that borders the forest. The fence provides a visual cue for walkers to enter through a preexisting trail system instead of creating their own route throughout the parks.

In addition to working with the Milwaukee County Parks Department, Cedar Three partnered with GroundWork Milwaukee to improve a Grow and Play Lot in the low income neighborhood of Harambee, located near Downtown Milwaukee. For this project, Cedar Three installed an underground water system that will provide fresh water for the recently built community garden.

Cedar Three removed over three thousand pounds of trash and filled over a hundred bags of garbage that cluttered the streets and yards of homes in Harambee. During the cleanup, residents gained interest in participation and admired Cedar Three’s hard work and dedication. One resident, who requested to be anonymous, was impressed with the result of the trash pickup and took interest in maintaining the neighborhood clean, “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen these streets look so clean. I don’t want to be ashamed of where I live anymore, this is my home and I’m grateful that the neighborhood is looking more presentable.” Along with the street cleanup Cedar Three participated in three river clean ups and worked alongside over a hundred local volunteers, including AmeriCorps State and National volunteers and a Youth Build team.

After spending eight weeks in Wisconsin, Cedar Three will be packing their bags and migrating back to Vinton, Iowa before traveling to Perham, Minnesota to continue volunteer work. Corps member Bradley Price reflects on his experience working in the Milwaukee area, “I really enjoyed working with our sponsors and I’m happy I made a difference in someone’s life by making their community better.” As a team, Cedar Three performed over 3,500 hours of volunteer work during their first spike making Milwaukee County a more enjoyable place for their residents.