Restoration Ecology Intern Reports on Campus Invasive Species Removal and Wildlife Management

By Shrikar Gopinath ’26

Shrikar Gopinath ’26 shares his experience as a 2023 Lawrenceville Restoration Ecology intern. Through this program, Lawrentians work to restore, over five days in July, the ecosystem of certain undeveloped parts of the Lawrenceville campus.

Among the 640 acres of Lawrenceville’s property lies the old growth forest known as the Hamill Woods. One step into the forest reveals the existence of giants. The first thing you notice is the sheer size of the trees, some of them over a century old. They soar several feet high to form a shady canopy providing a cool environment protected from the harsh, unforgiving summer sun. Among them are the majestic oak, the state tree of New Jersey, stately beeches and hickory. Beneath the canopy lie layers of vegetation both native and invasive covering the forest floor. Diminutive in size but widespread are invasive shrubs, some like the multiflora rose having traveled to the US from as far away as China, Japan and Korea. Brought to the U.S. mostly for their ornamental value, be it the thorny multiflora rose, the short rooted privet, or the velvet textured arrowheads, these fast growers are pervasive and form dense thickets excluding native plant species. Restricting their spread is imperative for the protection of this unique ecosystem.

For a week this July, Restoration Ecology Interns engaged in restoration efforts at this old growth forest. Under the guidance of Dana Christensen, Catherine Atwood and Beth Craighead from the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) as well as Lawrenceville Director of Sustainability and Science Teacher Stephen Laubach, we learned to identify and distinguish native versus invasive plant species. Armed with thick gloves and shears we slowly and meticulously worked on uprooting the invasive species making room for the native plants to grow. Over the span of five days we understood what it meant to be a small part of what the ecologists at FoHVOS have made their mission.

You might question, why the manual effort to limit the spread of these invasive species if the deer population is overabundant? Would the deer not manage their spread more effectively than any human could? While deer do feed on many of the plants that are native to N.J., they steer clear of the invasive species, allowing invasives to grow unchecked. It's for this reason that we worked with FoHVOS and Dr. Laubach to construct deer exclosures to prevent them from accessing native plants, allowing them to grow and thrive. We pushed heavy poles called rebar deep into the ground at regular intervals and rolled out heavy metal fencing to enclose the area and restrict access. Unaccustomed to physical labor of this kind, sweat rolled down our backs under the humid July air, but as we glanced over at the neatly fenced in clearing, the fact that we had made an impact brought joy.

When beginning this internship, it bewildered me how these seemingly ornamental shrubs could take down an ecosystem of old trees. The restoration ecology internship with Dr. Laubach and the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space allowed us to get a first-hand view of the beautiful native plants of Lawrenceville, and the dangers that they are facing. These plants were imported by humans and, with enough effort, their widespread growth can be curtailed by humans as well. It's not just the ancient old growth forests that face this problem. There are whole areas being taken over by invasives in our state alone. Without the help of more average everyday members of our community like you and I, New Jersey may not be the “Garden State” much longer.

 For additional information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.