Good Samaritan shares before-and-after photos of satisfying project on public trail: 'It looks amazing'

A civic-minded Reddit user shared pictures of a hard day's work spent clearing a pesky invasive plant from a trailhead in New Hampshire. 

The thread, posted to r/invasivespecies, shows the before-and-after photos of the poster's efforts to remove overgrown bittersweet manually. 

In the first image, the sign is scarcely visible, but in the latter, it's clear.

The plant is Oriental bittersweet, an invasive species found throughout the Northeast and Midwest. Like so many other problem plants in the United States, it was imported from Asia for its aesthetic qualities in the 19th century, according to Arnold Arboretum. 

Outside of its native range, it grows thick and fast, outcompeting native flora. It can be particularly destructive to trees as the vines grow upwards and wrap around the tree's trunks, causing them to become girdled. 

As the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay noted, a fully grown plant can be as thick as a human forearm, making it a real challenge to remove. 

It shouldn't be mistaken for the native American bittersweet, which plays a valuable role in the ecosystem as its bright fruits are a key food source for several birds. The primary visual difference between the two is the placement of the flowers and fruits. 

In simple terms, the American bittersweet's flowers are at the end of the branch stem; its invasive cousin's fruits are located in the axils of the leaves. 

The images emphasize the importance of taking decisive action to curb the spread of invasive species in an area. There are other, less labor-intensive ways to support the ecosystem, and they come with some big upsides. 

It all starts at home. By rewilding a yard with native plants, homeowners can enjoy the beauty of nature with flora ideally suited to the local environment. A natural lawn requires much less effort to maintain than monoculture lawns, while saving a good deal of cash, too.

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn 🏡 Controlling weeds 🌿 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️ I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The comments heaped praise on the poster's efforts. 

"Looks awesome," said one. "Great work." 

Another made a similar comment, saying, "Well, it looks amazing. Thank you for your hard work!"

"Now you have to keep visiting, which is a good thing," added another commenter. "You now have a solid reason to visit that place. Great work and kill all bittersweet." 

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