COVID, Kudzu and a Faith Community
Partner Highlight: The Congregational Church of Tryon
When The Congregational Church of Tryon began worshipping in their back parking lot during the COVID pandemic, church members found themselves literally facing a problem that had been decades in the making: the historic woodland behind the church was being engulfed by non-native invasive plant species like kudzu, English ivy, autumn olive and Oregon grape. To restore and preserve the mature trees and other native plants and allow the woodland to be enjoyed by the congregation and community, the necessity of removing the invasive vines and shrubs was plain to see.
Church member Carol Meeske, part of the Buildings and Grounds Team, became actively involved in finding a solution when another member approached her about the situation. “Someone came up to me after church one Sunday morning and asked what we were going to do with the woodland,” Meeske said. “We face the kudzu Sunday after Sunday.”
Developing a plan of renewal for the church grounds, one that involved both removing invasive species and replanting with native species, was a natural fit for a congregation already committed to caring for creation by acting in environmentally responsible ways. “Protect the environment” is a core value expressed in the call to worship at the start of each weekly service by the Pastor Meghan Young.
The project to restore the natural space on church grounds is the latest effort in an ongoing commitment to reduce their environmental impact. Other focus areas include reducing the amount of disposable products used at church functions, establishing a native plant garden along Melrose Avenue, and the installation of solar panels on the church building and parsonage in 2021. The solar panels now provide 100% of the power for the parsonage and have lowered the electric bills for the church building by 33%.
The project to remove the invasive plants got a jumpstart when Meeske learned from Polk County Extension Agent Scott Wellborn that matching grants were available for kudzu removal from the Appearance Commission of the Polk County Board of Commissioners. Within a few days, Carol received permission to write a grant proposal for the church, found a donor for original funding for removing invasive plants and submitted the grant proposal. The matching grant of $1,000 was approved. Greg Miner, a member of the Appearance Commission, assisted with the grant proposal.
Then the physical work of removing the invasive plants began. Scott Wellborn had mentioned that the church grounds have at least one of every invasive species in Polk County, so the project was a bit daunting but church members were not to be discouraged. They were on a mission to restore the overgrown plot of earth and to preserve a historic woodland. Wellborn believed it should be saved, as did members of the church. “I knew that as a church we could and should do this removal and had faith the parishioners would support the idea,” Meeske said.
And support it they did. A stalwart team showed up on Saturday mornings in protective clothing, with tools in hand. The team worked with Miner, who has been on a mission to eradicate invasive species in Polk County for over a decade, as a founding member of the Kudzu Warriors. He offered instructions on how and what to cut and loaned equipment for the group to use, including reciprocating saws—“Sawzalls”—and small bottles of Triclopyr 4, an herbicide that was tinted with blue dye and used to daub stumps and vines close to the ground after cutting. The church also purchased equipment for the removal efforts.
According to Miner, the Appearance Commission is “entrusted with allocating funds set aside by the county commissioners to eradicate kudzu on public, non-profit lands other than those owned by the county.” Grants have been opened to churches to help build awareness of the program, educate church members on invasive plant control measures and beautify community spaces for the benefit of citizens and visitors to Polk County. “The Congregational Church and Garrison Baptist Church each took advantage of this program to return their land to a more natural state,” Miner said.
There were times the work at The Congregational Church was grueling in hot, sticky weather. Team members were ever mindful that the possibility of falling down the steep slopes of the woodland was a real and present danger. One invasive plant, autumn olive, has inch-long thorns that some team members discovered the hard way. And there was just so much invasive plant material to cut and pull, it was difficult to see much progress at first. But one year into the project, the results are more obvious and members of the removal team know it was worth it. “As a self-proclaimed ‘native plant freak’, I was excited to begin removing all those invasives. We have even discovered native treasures that were hidden, but somehow survived,” Carole Bartol said.
Here are images of before and after …
And caring for creation is about more than eradicating invasive species and replanting native plants, according to Christel Walter, another team member. “It’s an activity where I feel empowered and able to make a difference. Aldo Leopold in his Sand County Almanac pointed out that land is a community that needs to be loved and respected. He promoted a land ethic that includes all creatures. When I plant a native tree, any native vegetation for that matter, I am thinking of the creatures that find habitat and food there and I know that I am supporting an environment that we all benefit from,” Walter said.
The work to eradicate invasive plants in the woodland continues, while new plantings of native plants have been installed in other places on the church grounds.
This congregation became acutely aware of the problem of a kudzu invasion, when they began gathering outdoors in response to COVID concerns. They met this challenge head on with empowered, far-reaching solutions. The result is a recovering woodland sanctuary and the community pride that goes along with all the hard work. This is truly living their faith because at The Congregational Church, it’s all a part of taking care of creation.
The Gardening for Life Project is incredibly inspired by the actions of The Congregational Church of Tryon. One action that is very close to home for us is their support of the GFLP. As our founding community Partner, their early support is what made this entire project possible!
The Gardening for Life Celebration is happening March 4th, 2023 with keynote speaker Doug Tallamy, educational exhibits and more. Seating is limited. RSVP to space your spot at here.
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