Cotton + Allen joins Olmsted Parks Conservancy for volunteer day

As part of a partnership with Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Cotton + Allen sponsored an employee volunteer day at Cherokee Park on July 28. The event allowed the firm to get actively involved in making one of the Olmsted parks a better place to visit.

Invasive plants like honeysuckle and garlic mustard are endangering the park's trees, paths and vistas at an alarming rate, according to the Conservancy. Restoring health to woodlands, ponds, meadows and other natural areas takes a lot of hands-on effort. Individuals, families and groups can take part in projects like this one that will root out invasive plants, rebuild trails, and restore native plants.

In conjunction with the volunteer day, the Conservancy, working with Metro Parks, opened a newly restored park area and trail on May 23 in Cherokee Park off Barney Drive, complete with trail signs for walkers and hikers to learn about Kentucky's diversity of native wildflowers and trees. The Wildflower Woods trail is part of the Conservancy's $5 million Woodlands Restoration Project to restore Cherokee and Seneca Parks to their original beauty.

The parks still bear the effects of the devastating 1974 tornado that toppled hundreds of trees, leaving the park ground exposed to invasive, non-native plants that are now choking trees and smothering native wildflowers.

To complete this area, Cotton + Allen donated funds for the Conservancy to install two limestone trail head signs and 19 interpretive signs along the trail. These signs point out the many beautiful wildflowers that are now growing because of the invasive plant removal. There are several signs calling attention to many native trees, including a 100-year-old Tuliptree.

"We have always been committed to improving the quality of life in Louisville," said Gwen Tilton, president of Cotton + Allen. "Both Cotton + Allen and the Olmsted Parks Conservancy have strong roots in Louisville and we see this partnership as an investment in our city to preserve our heritage for future generations."

Jeremy Burtel, CPA, saws honeysuckle brush.

Nick Murphy clears and area of brush.

Amelia Sebastian, left, and Staci Omanson lop more weeds.

Daryn Thompson, CPA, and Lara Rhodes, CPA, remove a honeysuckle bush.

Dub Newell, attest partner, breaks down brush to help speed up the decomposition process.

Some of the participates from the Olmsted Conservancy/Cotton + Allen volunteer day at Cherokee Park, are from left: Shawn Anderson, Sean and Amelia Sebastian, Daryn Thompson, Mike Spoelker, Gwen Tilton, Lara Rhodes, Renetta Carrier, Michelle Musacchio, David Homm, Dub Newell and Brian DeWitt.