Mars targets invasive plants in Alameda Park

Butler County commissioners approved an agreement on Wednesday, May 13, for a Mars contractor to remove invasive plants from about 50 acres in Alameda Park, moving ahead with a project county officials said has been under discussion for months. The work will target vegetation in the park’s stream area and along the lower park trail, according to local reports and county materials. ZFE Sprayers, based in Mars, is scheduled to begin the work at the end of May. Butler County parks and recreation director Lance Welliver said grant funding will cover the cost. ### Which plants and areas are included in the first round of work? The agreement calls for ZFE Sprayers to clear invasive vegetation from 38 to 40 acres at a rate of $250 per acre and to remove knotweed from about 10 acres at $150 per acre. Butler Eagle reported those terms after the commissioners’ vote, citing Welliver. A May 2025 Butler County parks handout mapped several invasive species at Alameda Park, including burning bush, bush honeysuckle, invasive vines and knotweed. The same document listed Alameda Park at 362 total acres, including 322 wooded acres, and said the maps were intended as a starting point for management. (butlereagle.com) ### Why are county officials removing the vegetation now? Leslie Osche, chair of the Butler County commissioners, said removal of invasive vegetation is needed for trail development and for the removal of trees that inhibit undergrowth. “It’s been a long time coming to get these invasive species under control,” Osche told Butler Eagle. (bcpr.recdesk.com) ButlerRadio reported the work will focus on the stream area and lower park trail and said officials described the removal as necessary for trail development. That report also said the county plans to grow more native plants and maintain tree health as part of the project. ### Who is paying for the removal? (butlereagle.com) Lance Welliver said Butler County received a grant from the Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management to cover the cost of the removal work. Butler Eagle did not report a total contract value, but the published per-acre rates imply a project cost in the low five figures depending on the final acreage treated. That calculation is based on the acreage and rates approved by the commissioners. (butlerradio.com) The county’s use of grant money follows earlier park planning that identified invasive-species management as a priority. In July 2025, Butler County commissioners approved a parks and recreation comprehensive plan that called for managing invasive species, restoring tree health and developing a tree management plan at Alameda Park. (butlereagle.com) ### What happens after the invasive plants are removed? Welliver said native vegetation will be planted as part of the effort. County officials have linked the work to broader maintenance and restoration in the park, including tree-health planning and trail access. A county parks handout prepared in February 2025 by Patrick Hulle showed invasive-species mapping across the property, suggesting the removal work is being guided by an inventory rather than a single-site cleanup. (butlereagle.com) The handout said the heat maps show concentrations of invasive and understory species and do not represent the entire population on the property. (butlereagle.com) ### What else is happening at Alameda Park this spring? Butler County commissioners also ratified advertising to restore the slide at Alameda Waterpark this year by removing rust and repainting it, and Welliver said the work would be done without closing the pool. The county is also accepting applications for seasonal jobs including lifeguards, cashiers, camp counselors and concession stand workers, according to Butler Eagle. (bcpr.recdesk.com) The county parks handout said Alameda Waterpark is scheduled to open May 31 and listed park programming through early June, including mountain bike clinics and the start of Camp Alameda. ZFE Sprayers’ vegetation work is set to begin at the end of May, placing the invasive-plant removal alongside the park’s summer operating schedule. (bcpr.recdesk.com) (butlereagle.com)