The Brickyard Nature Park is a city owned park, maintained and operated by the Crawfordsville Parks and Recreation. The Brickyard Nature Park is used by many Montgomery County residents. It is a popular spot amongst nature enthusiasts, running clubs, mountain bikers, and families. The park offers an extensive trail system including an ADA accessible asphalt path, stone pedestrian paths, and dirt mountain bike paths.
What is an Invasive Species?
As per Executive Order 13112 (Section 1. Definitions) an “invasive species” is a species that is:
1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and,
2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.
Invasive plants rapidly spread and outcompete native plants. Landscapes that once flourished with life, turn into a monoculture of plants unfamiliar to the local wildlife.
Asian Bush Honeysuckle is a notorious invasive plant that you can find all over Indiana. Most animals will not eat the berries off of Asian Bush Honeysuckle. If they do, it lacks nutritional value. Some relate this to eating fast food everyday. This is not sustainable!
What are we doing about it?
Weed Wrangles
Organized by the Montgomery County CISMA, Weed Wrangles are volunteer events hosted at public parks and lands. The purpose of these volunteer events is to control invasive plants that are negatively impacting our public parks, green spaces and natural areas. During these events, community members learn to identify and control through hands-on removal of these invasive plants which are causing harm to our native plant communities.
The Montgomery County CISMA conducted 4 volunteer Weed Wrangles in 2025 with high school, college students, and scout troops. The CISMA has also addressed and began treatment of Japanese Stiltgrass along the trails of the park in the summer of 2025.
Learn more about the Montgomery County CISMA here!
Contracted Removal
While these volunteer efforts have yielded positive results, the volume of removal work to be done is beyond what we can address with volunteer groups alone.
Made possible by the Montgomery Community Foundation (MCCF), the Montgomery County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) in partnership with the Crawfordsville Parks & Recreation will facilitate the removal of these invasive species through the contracted labor and expertise of ArborTerra Consulting, Inc. Removal of invasive species will promote the growth of native plants and wildflowers in the park for the benefit of wildlife and the visitor’s experience. Work is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027.
Some of the invasive species that will be targeted at the Brickyard Nature Park are Asian Bush Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii, L. tatarica, L. morrowii, L. X bella), Privet (Ligustrum obtusifolium), and Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellate).
In order to perform the duties of the workplan safely and efficiently, the Brickyard Nature Park will experience some park closure days. These days are not yet scheduled, however updates will be made available to the public well in advance of the closures.
Thank you MCCF!
This project is funded by a grant from the MCCF. The MCCF has been working to improve the quality of life in Montgomery County since 1991. Donors establish and contribute to endowed funds held at MCCF with a variety of charitable goals in mind. These funds are then invested and the earnings are returned to the community in the form of grants for nonprofit organizations and scholarships for local students.
Project Partners and Collaborators
Check out some other projects that we completed at the Brickyard Nature Park!
The Montgomery County SWCD designed and installed these educational signs at the Brickyard Nature Park. The colorful signs depict pictures of flora and fauna and cover topics like prairie restoration, native birds, and invasive species!
Pictured left to right: Clint Jones, Fawn Johnson, Sam Lovold, Lea Dick
Brickyard Nature Park Prairie Project Wins Statewide Conservation Award
Check out this article about the Brickyard Prairie Planting! We are thrilled that this project was recognized and awarded. The Montgomery County SWCD has enjoyed working with the Crawfordsville Parks and Recreation on this project, and look forward to the future of the partnership!