Doing battle with kalighas

The hillside surrounding Woodstock is under a relatively new and significant environmental threat. A non-native plant species known as kalighas has spread over the hillside, choking out native flora and fauna. The long spindly stalks are not edible to any native animals - even the mules and goats leave it alone. There is only one positive feature of this abundant weed; it is easy to pull up.

In response to this threat, the elementary school has adopted the area behind and surrounding Woodstock's Hanifl Center to keep it clear of the weed. This past weekend (15th March) the students spent Saturday morning climbing all over the khud (hillside) yanking up these insidious plants with exuberance and satisfaction. This was their second visit, the first being last fall. They were pleased to discover that the area they had cleared previously was still relatively free of kalinghas. The plan now is to replant the hillside with native plants, hopefully giving them a foothold to spread further.