 Everroad Park East  Sign at entrance of Paula Crump Nature Preserve Last week, more than 100 Columbus North football players showed up, not for practice, but to protect one of our city’s most beloved spaces: Mill Race Park. With gloves on and water bottles in hand, they tackled invasive plants like bush honeysuckle during a “Weed Wrangle” organized in partnership with Blazing Stars CISMA. It was tough, physical work, especially in the brutal summer heat. But they got it done -- together. What stood out most was their mindset. These students weren’t just checking a community service box, they understood why this mattered. Bush honeysuckle chokes out native trees and wildflowers, degrades habitats, contributes to erosion, and increases the risk of tick-borne illnesses. One student summed it up perfectly: “It’s good to do difficult things together. The park looks nicer now, and it just makes everyone happier.” (Read the full story here.) That single event, over 100 students, one afternoon, was powerful. And, it also raises our awareness about the invasives in our city because bush honeysuckle isn’t just in Mill Race Park. Invasives Along the People Trail. Take a walk or bike ride along the People Trail, especially the stretch along Haw Creek from 25th Street toward the Newbern Bridge, and you’ll see the problem. The dense, wall-like greenery lining the trail? That’s mostly Japanese bush honeysuckle, a fast-spreading invasive that suffocates nearly everything beneath it. Its impacts are serious and widespread:
And it’s not just honeysuckle. Everroad Park East: A Missed Opportunity. Everroad Park East is a 25-acre green space, technically a city park, but currently largely undeveloped. Located between Griffa Avenue, 25th Street, and 30th Street, it contains sections of the People Trail and backs up to Haw Creek. I believe the original intention was to make this field a Pollinator Park, filled with wildflowers, bees, and butterflies. But today, it’s mostly tall grasses and overrun with invasives. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. Imagine Everroad Park East transformed:
This is exactly the kind of green infrastructure that builds ecological health, community pride, and safe outdoor recreation. Pauline Crump Nature Preserve: A Hidden Gem in Trouble. Just a short walk from Everroad Park East is the Pauline Crump Nature Preserve, a wooded area privately owned but long enjoyed by the public. It connects to the People Trail and was once lovingly maintained by local students and volunteers. Today, it faces serious challenges:
Yet, the potential remains. With proper care and city stewardship, the Crump Preserve could be restored as an urban forest—a peaceful, biodiverse refuge with clean trails, tree canopy, and native wildlife. Time to Act. If we invest in restoring these trails and natural areas, removing invasives and replanting with native species, we can create something truly special:
The Columbus North football players reminded us of what’s possible when we work together. Now, it’s time for us, as residents, volunteers, and decision-makers, to step up and follow their example. Let’s start pulling together. (Story and photos by Rachel Foyst) Comments are closed.
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AuthorI was born and raised in Columbus, and I've spent the last 25 years living and working here. I love our city, and together we can keep it great! |
