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“What’s so bad about English ivy?” This is a fairly common question asked by newcomers to the Greenbelt, and the answer is usually preceded by a very deep breath because the list of what’s bad about English ivy is so long.
As the name may lead you to believe, English ivy is not native to the United States and it has no natural predators here to keep it in check. In my opinion, the worst thing about ivy is that it out-competes native plants and creates what has been referred to as an “ivy desert,” which is another way of saying monoculture. Healthy forests have many layers- a canopy of tall trees, understory plants of various heights, ground cover, etc. Many of the forests in the Seattle area, the West Duwamish Greenbelt included, have only a few layers- a canopy of deciduous trees that are approaching the end of their life span, and various invasive plant species that are preventing native plants from taking root. Imagine, then, what our forests could look like in the next couple of decades as those deciduous trees die off- it’s a far cry from the towering conifer forests that populated this area prior to the logging that occurred throughout the 20th century. Luckily, there are several organizations working to ensure that we have healthy forests for generations beyond our own, and Nature Consortium’s restoration team is out at least three days a week doing our part with the help ofsome really amazing volunteers! Check out the pictures of the survival rings they did last week! For more information on how and why we do survival rings, click here.

Perhaps you are wondering what else is on the list of reasons why English ivy is so bad. Two things that come to mind are falling trees and rats. Ivy not only grows in mats on the forest floor, it also climbs up trees and effectively acts as a sail by catching the wind in its many leaves and often brings old trees crashing down. Also, while native plants can serve as habitat for a variety of different animal species, thick masses of English ivy tend to be popular nesting places for rats. If these reasons are not enough to convince you that ivy is evil, come to one of our work parties and I will tell you more! Also check out this recent article about holly and ivy in Northwest forests- buphalo and Arthur were interviewed about the work we do!