Many cities and towns have areas that were once used as parks or trails but are now overgrown and infested with invasive plant species. However, people are often unsure how to go about fixing up these places. 

That's why one Redditor asked what to do about an overgrown trail in their area on the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit.

"My city has a patchy (kind of a zigzag around private properties) wildlife trail (floodplain forest) that is closed canopy and full invasive Chinese Privet, Chinaberry, and Chinese Tallow," they shared. "This bit of forest and wetland has enough natives and is large enough to be fought over."

The original poster explained that they were happy to volunteer their time to help remedy the issue but were unsure who to speak to about doing so.

Commenters had many suggestions, as most had encountered similar scenarios in their towns. 

One Redditor said, "If you are in the United States call the mayors office and see who you can speak to determine ownership and discuss volunteering."

Unfortunately, invasive plant species taking over land is an increasing problem. Invasive species, such as Chinese privet, tend to grow quickly, so it takes very little time for these plants to overwhelm the local fauna. 

When they do, they can destroy the area's biodiversity and damage the local ecosystem, sometimes beyond repair. If invasive plants are close enough to houses, they can even get into the walls and cause headaches for homeowners trying to remove them.

Solutions to the issue of invasive plants include rewilding or installing native lawns. Planting native plants in lawns or overgrown parks and trails can stop invasive ones from spreading. 

Plus, native lawns save homeowners time on lawn maintenance and money on water bills. This holds true even if a homeowner replaces only a small piece of their yard with a native lawn.

If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation? Making it look better 🌱 Saving money on water and maintenance 💰 Helping pollinators 🐝 No way I ever get rid of my lawn 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Native plants also attract more pollinators to an area, and since pollinators are responsible for helping protect our food supply, this benefits everyone.

Native plants vary by region, but some of the most common ones to start with are clover and buffalo grass. 

Of course, the best way to begin remedying a situation like the OP's is with small steps. 

"To keep these landscapes intact, someone needs to go in and pull some weeds. So why not you?" one user suggested.

Another said, "Volunteering your time and expertise can go a long ways."

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