Lost River Cave Rounds Out Earth Week Celebration with Final Volunteer Day

Bowling Green, KY: Lost River Cave wrapped up its Earth Week festivities on Sunday with a final day of volunteer activities. The main focus of the day was the removal of the invasive winter creeper plant from the forest

Clearing Invasive Species

Originally hailing from China, where it was introduced as an ornamental plant in the 1900s, winter creeper has now become an aggressive invasive species. The plant has overrun forest floors, crowding out and suffocating native plant species.

Senior Event Sales Manager at Lost River Cave, Maegan Williams, stated, “it’s very invasive. It makes its way into every part of the park. So, we’re doing our utmost to eradicate it.”

Throughout the Earth Week celebrations, Lost River Cave called upon community members and visitors to assist with the removal of the winter creeper. The goal is to allow native plants to resprout and thrive, contributing to the park’s overarching mission of restoring the environment to its original state.

Community Involvement

Volunteer Cora Thompson emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy habitat. “If something’s invasive, it’s going to cause harm in the long run. We need to ensure that the natural environment accommodates all forms of life.”

Vounteers and sisters Josie and Hazel Roeder said, “We wanted to pitch in with nature and helping the flowers grow.”

“I believe it’s crucial to assist the community,” Thompson added, “This is one way I can do that.”

Volunteer Efforts Applauded

According to Williams, the success of the cleanup efforts heavily relies on the support of volunteers. With a small management team, Lost River Cave’s 72 acres of green space needs external help. Williams said, “We just love providing a connection with nature here for the community, and volunteers help us immensely in achieving that.”

In addition to individual community members and visitors who lent their hands, the event was also supported by several Earth Week sponsors, including the Warren County Water District, Fruit of the Loom, Wild Ones, and Be Happy Yoga.

Lost River Cave hosts a variety of daily volunteer opportunities such as Litter Control and Species Inventory, with an expectation of additional volunteer events throughout the summer.