ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and its partners in the Community Stewardship Alliance invite volunteers to help restore a pair of St. Louis County parks back to nature during two workdays in April.  Planting native trees and removing invasive plants will help improve habitat for wildlife and beautify the parks for people.  Both events require preregistrations at the links provided.

The first event is Tree Planting at Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park on Friday, April 23 from 9 a.m.-noon.  Volunteers will plant trees and help apply mulch and install protective tree fencing.  Volunteers should meet at the Fee Fee Greenway trailhead on Marine Avenue.

Register at:  https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zzm.

The second is a Honeysuckle and wintercreeper removal at St. Vincent Park Saturday, April 24, from 9 a.m.-noon.  Volunteers will remove honeysuckle and wintercreeper, two invasive plants.  The work will involve cutting honeysuckle and treating with herbicide, and hand-pulling wintercreeper. After entering the park, volunteers should turn right at the first road and follow it until it ends at a parking lot. There will be signs posted with arrows for directions.

Register at:  https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zzs.

Check-in and registration for each event is 8:45 a.m. Participants should bring their own water bottles and dress for the weather. Work gloves and tools will be provided for both events.  As a COVID-19 precaution, social distancing will be observed throughout both events and face masks will be required.

The Community Stewardship Alliance, a collaborative partnership led by the Open Space Council, is a new conservation program intended to provide volunteer leadership to restore and maintain the natural areas within St. Louis County Parks.