On Saturday, Feb. 23, willing and interested gardeners helped weed an invasive plant out of the banks of the Arroyo Grande Creek.

No Ivy League Volunteers are hand-removing the non-native, highly invasive groundcover in a pilot project near the Arroyo Grande City Hall. In a partnership among the City of Arroyo Grande, the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District and Central Coast Salmon Enhancement, the pilot Ivy Removal Project will test methods of control to free the area of ivy and restore native trees and plants.

Commonly found in many home gardens, English Ivy’s vines wrap around and choke out any nearby plants. Trees are no exception. Ivy deserts bloom where a broad range of native plants used to provide habitat for a variety of animals. As the ivy desert expands, it eliminates all other plants, the shade and leaf cover they had provided and destroys the homes of several species, and can eventually kill trees.

Because of its vining nature, the invasive ivy will require several pullings. Local volunteer crews will return to the area over a three year period to ensure the complete removal of the ivy and the re-establishment of native plants and trees to prevent soil erosion and ensure water quality is preserved for the locally threatened Steelhead trout population.

The California Conservation Corps will be providing hand-crews to pull the ivy and cut the thick vines that have choked riparian trees. They will be working the creek banks behind the South County Historical Society’s buildings between Mason Street and Short Street. All Season’s Weed Control will be providing a pre-approved, water-safe herbicide on areas too steep for hand crews. They will be working the banks behind McClintock’s between Bridge Street and Short Street.

Salmon Enhancement is recruiting volunteers to assist with follow up work to plant native riparian plants and remove re-sprouting ivy. The group will provide volunteer training and support. Please contact Adam at or volunteer@centralcoastsalmon.com or 473-8221 to be part of the local No Ivy League and for more information about this creek restoration project.