River Action member Greta Solbrig says the Rock Island County Forest Preserve District has been trying to remove honeysuckle at the Amôwa Forest Preserve.
"It's everywhere, it's extremely aggressive...it's interesting in that it can grow on trees as well," Solbrig said in an interview with WVIK. "It's pretty much everywhere, but the folks at Amôwa have been working hard to get a lot of it removed. Having a bunch of volunteers over there at once will help them."
Solbrig says River Action and the Amôwa Preserve will provide gloves, loppers, and water. Those interested should come wearing light clothing, long sleeves, pants and a hat to avoid any interaction with poison ivy or ticks.
According to Solbrig, the cleanup is super easy, and people can learn how to identify this invasive species.
"This preserve is so important because it provides an ideal habitat for pollinators and maintenance is required to keep out invasive species," Solbrig said.
The Amôwa Forest Preserve is a 172-acre property in East Moline. It is named for the Sauk word for "bee," in hopes of honoring the Sauk people by conserving the property and promoting biodiversity in the area.
"If you're interested in attending this event, we ask that you RSVP to gsolbrig@riveraction.org, and once you RSVP, you'll get more details about navigating the preserve," Solbrig said. Attendees can meet at the west entrance of the forest preserve.
River Action is also hosting FloatZilla on August 17 on the Mississippi River. Solbrig says this is the last week before registration prices increase. Paddlers will launch from five sites across the Quad Cities
"We've been trying to break the world record for the biggest congregation of canoes and kayaks in a body of water," Solbrig said. "Everyone comes out with their kayaks and canoes or if you don't have one, you can rent one. It's kind of like a big party; people get together and hang out."
