Sunny Slope Farms

Originally purchased by the Sunny Slope Farms Homeowner’s Association in 2018, this riparian greenway sits on a 1.6-acre buffer between the neighborhood and a nearby road. A lack of maintenance allowed invasive plants to take over, with callery pear dominating the canopy and bush honeysuckle taking over most of the understory. Wanting to make use of the space, the Sunny Slope Farms HOA contracted EcoGro to remove invasive species and design a planting plan for 400 native trees and shrubs for the site. This project was awarded grant funding in part by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s Water Quality Management Fee and the Stormwater Quality Projects Incentive Grant Program.

The first phase of the project involved removing the invasive species on site, from the smallest honeysuckle sprout up to the tallest callery pear. A Komatsu excavator with a forestry grinder attachment cut paths through the greenway and performed the bulk of the tree work, with our certified arborist and crew clearing other trees with chainsaws. Cut stumps were treated with herbicide, and woody material was chipped on site to act as a mulch layer and to retain nutrients.

Once the property was cleared, a planting plan was drawn up and holes for plants were pre-dug using an excavator. 100 of the trees purchased were set aside for a community planting day for the local residents, pictured below. Plants were mostly in 3 gallon pots, with some in 1 gallon. Trees were selected for locations onsite based on species preferences, working with the landscape to find happy homes for each plant where they will grow and thrive for years to come. EcoGro is proud to be able to improve the places we live, work, and play, leaving a lasting impact on communities and ecosystems both.