Cathedral High School students pose at Quarry Pond in Springfield’s Sixteen Acres neighborhood on November 25, 2014.

On, Tuesday, November 25th, 29 student volunteers from Cathedral High School joined Regreen Springfield and the City of Springfield Parks Department in removing invasive and non-desirable vegetation at Quarry Pond, at Camp Wilder in the Sixteen Acres neighborhood of the city. This effort was aimed at providing trees and shrubs, that were planted around the pond following the June 2011 tornado, a chance to mature with less competition from non-native plants and other invasive vegetation.

The students completed the work as part of Cathedral High School’s commitment to community service, and this project included participation by students from the National Honor Society and several sports teams.  The work was completed in cooperation with the Springfield Conservation Commission, who provided technical assistance to the work of the day.  Additionally, staff from the City’s Forestry Division provided staff assistance and tools to help complete the work.  Volunteers from Regreen Springfield also participated in the effort.

Students work to remove invasive vegetation at Quarry Pond on November 25, 2014.

A neighborhood-based day of community service at the Pond is planned for the spring, and the students from Cathedral are expected to spend another day working at Quarry Pond in April 2015.

Quarry Pond is located at the new Camp Wilder Recreation Area that was built adjacent to the Pond following the tornado, and it contains parking areas, a gazebo and picnic tables.  Nearly 1,000 seedlings and small trees were planted in the tornado damage area surrounding the Pond, as well as nearly 50 large shade trees.  The work that was completed is expected to aid in the establishment of native vegetation on the site, which will ultimately make the area more sustainable as a natural landscape.