JACKSON, Wyo. — Teton County Weed and Pest (TCWP) is partnering up with local organizations to host an invasive plant removal project next week.

Habitat Heroes, a volunteer program led by TCWP that focuses on invasive plant management and habitat restoration, will be hiking and hunting for musk thistle on Shadow Mountain on Tuesday, July 21. Community members are invited to volunteer for the initiative that will run from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Those who participate in the event can expect a hike of 2 to 3 miles. Tools, gloves, water and snacks will be provided, though attendees are asked to bring water bottles, sunscreen and more snacks.

“Musk thistle has become a common sight in campsites and along roads in this popular recreation area,” the event announcement reads. “The Habitat Heroes are working to stop its spread into the backcountry. … Our work will focus on preventing reproduction by removing flower heads and ‘root-slaying’ mature plants.”

TCWP will lead the hike alongside Friends of the Bridger-Teton (FBT) and Hole Hiking Experience. On its website, FBT states that musk thistle is native to Eurasia and can take over entire fields and meadows of native plants. The plants are popular with local pollinators, but they are not palatable to the valley’s native foraging wildlife.

Register online by July 19 to attend. For more information, contact TCWP’s event coordinator Meta Dittmer by email or telephone at (307) 880-0185.

Monica is a Staff Reporter who studied journalism at Syracuse University and has been in the valley since 2015. She loves writing about the local food and bev scene, especially craft beer. When she’s not on the clock, you can find her paddle boarding, sewing, or whipping up a new recipe at home.