Brownsburg has over 300 acres of land between its five parks, along with trails, play structures, courts, and more. However, with lots of room to enjoy the town’s natural forests and wetlands comes the necessary upkeep. Hours are spent keeping pathways clear, trimming wooded areas, and ensuring playground safety. While park maintenance lasts year-round, the workload is kept manageable thanks to volunteers.

Volunteers stay busy through a number of opportunities and events. From Weed Wrangle® to Treesgiving, their help keeps parks safe and beautiful. It also provides a way to make a difference in the community.

“I don’t look at it as giving back…it’s more paying it forward,” said longtime Parks Department volunteer Sam Carman. He has a long history in land stewardship, spending years teaching and promoting land conservation.

“My first volunteer work was with Weed Wrangling, and I did that for several years,” said Carman. Weed Wrangle isn’t just unique to Brownsburg. It’s a nationwide program designed to help remove harmful trees, bushes, and flowers from parks.

These areas, once invaded by foreign species, are then replaced with native plants. Brownsburg holds multiple Weed Wrangles in the fall and winter, restoring natural areas in Williams Park, Arbuckle Acres Park, and along the B&O Trail.

“Invasives are horrible, and they’re everywhere,” said Carman. “I have to say, though, I’ve been pleasantly surprised in some of the areas where we did Weed Wrangles a couple of years ago.”

He’s referring to their efforts involve the complete removal of the plant. The plant debris is removed from the site or occasionally stacked for habitat in off-trail wooded areas. This method is most effective at preventing re-sprouts and only affects the treated stump, not the surrounding plants. All treatments are applied carefully by trained staff and volunteers to ensure the safety of surrounding plants, wildlife, and park visitors.

Weed wrangling is done in the fall and winter because the plant absorbs treatments best at that time. Additionally, other natives are dormant, and animals are less active, further minimizing any unwanted impact from chemicals.

Carman’s Weed Wrangle group once worked on a honeysuckle plant with a trunk bigger than his fist.

“That was really a lot of work,” he recalled, “and in those areas now… we found little bits of it here and there, but nothing big at all. It’s easy to remove now.”

Another regular Weed Wrangler, Steve Tomlinson, spent some quality time with honeysuckle in the past, trying to dig it up. To him, one of the best parts of volunteering is watching the parks’ native plants start to flourish after the weeds are cleared.

“Now we can look into the woods at Williams Park or Arbuckle Acres Park, and we see a cleared understory. Whereas before, it was just filled with invasive species,” Tomlinson said. “It’s kind of restoring a natural balance to those woods.”

Tomlinson’s first volunteer role was helping build Blast-Off Playground in 2000. He didn’t become involved in the Weed Wrangles and tree plantings until he retired, looking for ways to spend his time. As someone who loves to be out in nature and working with his hands, volunteering with the Parks was a perfect match.

“Seeing a tree that you’ve planted a couple of years ago thriving, and knowing that tree’s going to be there for generations to come, that kind of gives you a good feeling,” said Tomlinson.

Both Tomlinson and Carman see these opportunities as a piece of a bigger puzzle. Their time spent volunteering isn’t just about giving back to the community, but building towards a better future. In 2025, 177 trees were planted throughout the parks, and more than 400 hours of volunteer service were dedicated to stewardship.

“You’re trying to build on a legacy and improve on what’s there,” said Carman. “And to me, that improvement has always been the most important part of it.”

With hours of volunteer help, the parks and trails have remained key highlights for Brownsburg, making them safe and beautiful for all activities. Their effort also supports the Parks Department’s mission towards sustainability, working to protect our natural resources. Even if it’s just for a few hours, volunteering makes a big difference today and in the future.

“What I do, it’s just a drop in the bucket,” Tomlinson said. “If everybody contributed a drop, this world would be a better place.”

Volunteer opportunities are available for individuals, families, and groups of all skill levels. Learn more and sign up for upcoming Weed Wrangles, or explore other volunteer opportunities.