Beauty and Beast In Allentown Parks

My recent photograph of a Blue Heron in Cedar Park has a slight Rousseau quality to it.  The visual element contributing to that effect is the white flowered plant behind the beauty.  Unfortunately, that element is a beast, Poison Hemlock, an invasive species which is taking over the creek bank.

While I campaign against the Wild Conservancy's riparian buffers in our parks,  so do real botanists.  To keep such invasive species from along our un-mowed creeks would ironically take much more labor than simply cutting the grass.  Unfortunately, for the iconic Allentown Park System, the Wildlands and their invasive species are winning the war.  Last week the park department planted 100 trees, not along the creek banks, but 75 ft out, at the edge of the Conservancy's designated buffer border. 

Although I have lost the buffer battle, I will continue to fight for the WPA,  hoping to save some structures.

Allentown truly had an iconic park system.  It's a shame that it doesn't have the will or sense to preserve such an asset.