WAUWATOSA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- You've probably heard of buckthorn. It's an invasive species that's causing big problems here in Wisconsin. It grows really well in this climate and wipes out our native plants and trees. 

Hoyt Park in Wauwatosa has been battling it for years, with one man taking it on almost single-handedly. 

"Excellent," exclaimed Doug Drysdale, as his shovel dislodged some buckthorn root. 

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Most any day of the week you can find Drysdale at Hoyt Park.

He's usually hauling and stacking branch after branch of buckthorn.

"You definitely want long pants," he said of the work. 

For the last nine years he's led restoration efforts here at the Wauwatosa park along the Menomonee River.

"I was recently retired and I was like, I could do this more often," Drysdale said.

And so, he did -- usually working alone to take back the park from the buckthorn.

"It is so peaceful out here, and beautiful, and it's really good for my health to get all of this exercise, too," he said.

But on this Earth Day, he had some help. 

"You guys are welcome to start anywhere you like," Drysdale told a handful of volunteers.

"It's good for the soul work, I'll say that," said Matthew Taylor.

Taylor organized dozens of volunteers from Cognex in Tosa to come lend a hand. 

"So, we thought what better to do on Earth Day, get out in the sun and do a little service work," he said.

Drysdale got to work, showing them how to identify the plant. 

"And just like the name says, thorn, thorn, thorn, thorn," he said, pointing it out.

And how to dig up the roots, so it doesn't come back.

"There we go. Game over," Drysdale said.

"He is someone that works, I think, without a lot of thanks," said Elsa Knysak.

Knysak is the executive director of Friends of Hoyt Park and Pool.

"Everybody who knows Doug personally knows how committed and dedicated he is," she said.

His efforts are yielding results you can see. 

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"Very encouraged that we can turn some of this destruction by the buckthorn around," he said.

All around the park, there are young trees protected by cages. The trees are native species that are making their return.

"This could be another legacy oak in the making for the park someday," he said.

Native species can be seen growing in the areas where the buckthorn is gone. 

"That's yellow trout lily," Drysdale said, pointing out a flower growing in clusters.

It's those wins that keep Drysdale going.

"There we go," he said, digging up another root ball.

On the days he has help, and when he's doing it all by himself. 

"Doug is our hero! He is our buckthorn hero," Knysak said.

"Keeps me coming back," Drysdale said of the progress being made.

Boy Scouts with Troop 21 will be helping Drysdale out this month. They're planting more than 50 native trees in the park. Drysdale says they're also looking for donations so they can plant trees in the picnic area along the Menomonee River Parkway.

For more information on how you can help, click here. 

If you'd like to nominate an Everyday Hero, send Natalie a message at [email protected].