The restoration of native plant and animal communities often begins with the removal of exotic invasive vegetation, which can yield an abundance of material that can be sustainably processed into fuel, chemicals, pigments, lumber, paper fibers and cordage. Those materials can re-converge as art, the sale of which can fuel an economic engine that positively alters the landscape as it helps restore ecological balance.
This proposal aimed to spark such an engine in the Rockville area.
On Earth Day, April 22, volunteers from Rockville’s Croydon Creek Nature Center and members of Rockville’s Native Species Network gathered at the nature center to remove invasive plants from a forest preserve.
Plants from the weed pull were processed into paper and inks, which were used for a limited-edition relief print referred to the labor and raw materials used to make the print. Prints were sold for $25 each at the nature center to help generate funds for the center’s permanent exhibits or for future invasive species removal projects. Proceeds from the sale of the print were split 50/50 between the artist and the nature center.
Volunteers were invited to attend an introductory class, Prospecting for Materials from Invasive Plants. Those volunteers were also invited to help with the processing of weeds removed at the nature center.
Visit Patterson’s The Invasive Plant blog