By Jason KUROSU

A warm Saturday morning ushered in the first of many planned clean-up efforts at the Rosemont Preserve at the top of Rosemont Avenue. The hillside was dotted with volunteers using shovels, pickaxes or their hands to remove invasive plant life. Native plant expert Roger Klemm led the clean-up as volunteers identified and removed species of the Castor bean plant and the Arundo, plants which may prevent the growth of the area’s natural flora.

Many of the volunteers were from the Friends of the Rosemont Preserve, a community-based volunteer group dedicated to the preservation of the property. The Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy preserved the 7.75 acres of the Rosemont Preserve in June 2012 in order to transform the land into a sanctuary for both native plants and animals.

Paul Rabinov, a board member of the conservancy, said they should be holding similar clean-up efforts every two to three weeks.

In addition to preserving the area and its native wildlife, the Friends of the Rosemont Preserve intends to create educational programs about the land, such as tours.

Barbara Nielsen, a parent whose fifth grader joined her to volunteer on Saturday morning, hopes to have the Rosemont Preserve included in Mountain Avenue’s third grade curriculum.

The next Rosemont Preserve restoration day will be Dec. 9 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. All are encouraged to attend and volunteering is free.

  Jason Kurosu