The Appalachian Trail Conservancy was established in 1925 to help preserve one of the most iconic and biologically diverse regions on the Eastern Seaboard, and recently, it applauded the efforts of 169 volunteers who participated in the Appalachian Trail Garlic Mustard Challenge.
Garlic mustard was selected as an invasive plant of focus for 2015 due to its tenacious growth and ability invade a wide range of habitats, including undisturbed forests. Because it is native to Eurasia, garlic mustard has few natural enemies in the Appalachian Trail corridor, and it has the added ability of releasing chemicals to kill surrounding plants. In response, volunteers came together to contribute over 750 hours and remove a total of 2,772 pounds of the non-native plants throughout the corridor.