Jean ‘JJ’ Romano (Class of 2013) shown above in a photo taken by Diane LaRue vanquishes a 15-foot tall Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) at the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area. When some members of the 2015 class expressed skepticism that a Brazilian pepper about 3-feet tall could be pulled out by hand on the 2/21 volunteer class walk, Jean explained that, even with knees that soon will be replaced, she was able to hand-pull (body-pull?) a much bigger one. And, here is the photographic evidence.
The results of the Wednesday work team are truly amazing, and many invasive pest plants to be (i.e., berries and burrs) have hand-picked, hundreds of seedlings and trees up to about 15-feet tall have been hand-pulled, and those too big to be plucked out have been judiciously treated with herbicide.
To learn more about Brazilian pepper, view this youtube video by Lee County Extension Agent Stephen Brown who spoke to the Eugenia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society on 2/19/2015 about native trees.
Enjoy the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area 