Patch Employees Wield Saws and Loppers During Volunteer Day

As Patch editors and advertising reps, we're accustomed to brandishing pens, paper and iPhones. But Wednesday morning you could find us wielding — some for the first time — hand saws and loppers as we cut and then burned buckthorn trees at the Skokie Lagoons in Winnetka.

Our excellent leader was Daniel Kielson, a volunteer with the Cook County Forest Preserve and president of Backyard Nature Center, who explained to us that buckthorn are an invasive species that can take over an area and choke out the native plants.

Patch employees volunteer in the communities we cover five times a year as part of our Give 5 program. If you know of a nonprofit that would like our help, please let your local editor know.