The 11th Annual Great Invader Raider Rally (GIRR) is slated for Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Morningside Nature Center in Gainesville.
The long-standing community event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 3540 E. University Ave., has volunteers remove invasive plants from the ecosystem in natural areas across Gainesville.
Invasive plants cause damage to the natural ecosystem and help is needed to remove them. In 2024, more than 430 volunteers removed 4,270 pounds of trash and invasive plants during the annual event.
This year’s theme is “Evolution” as GIRR grows into a new event to celebrate Gainesville’s native ecosystems who learning about how to stop invasive plants.
The event is part of the Gainesville Greenway Challenge, which is a year-round effort to restore Gainesville’s natural habitat by removing invasive plants.
GIRR is open to the entire community, with the goals of increasing community awareness of environmental protection, volunteering and community building. The day features local vendors, education, music, guided hikes, a free raffle, food trucks and more.