Duff Park in Murrysville will be getting a lot of attention over the next few months.

A map of invasive plants in the park and a list of trees, plants and flowers are being compiled.

Betsy Aiken, a member of Friends of Murrysville Parks, which organized the studies, said because the park is mostly untouched land, it was a prime spot for the two studies.

"We recognize that Duff Park is special because of its ecological features and health," Aiken said.

The first study, done through the Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program, will create a working list of what is growing in the park.

Bill Paxton, a forester working on the study, said the Murrysville project is bigger than most that the program undertakes because of the size of the park.

"Duff Park is just full of stuff," Paxton said.

The program allows property owners to work with a forester to determine how to use the forest that is on their land.

Uses can include timber production, recreation and wildlife preservation.

Paxton said Friends of Murrysville Parks plan to use the program to continue to maintain Duff Park as a municipal park.

So far, Paxton said he and a crew of botanists and volunteers have found about 300 different kinds of plant life.

They will work through September and compile their results into a report for the Friends of Murrysville Parks.

Among the discoveries that Paxton and his crew have made are Blackjack Oak and Fragile Fern, two plants that are rare in the area. "You just sort of come across them," Paxton said.

The second study at the park will map out invasive plants to help control its growth.

"The idea when we have the map in hand is to use it for invasive plant removal," Aiken said.

Loree Speedy, a cartographer, is compiling a map that will allow volunteers to monitor plant growth in the park. The map will be done using geographic information system technology.

Aiken said the outline of invasive plants will continue to grow over time.

"In the future, we'll continue to build the map by including more information and details," she said.

For more information on either of the studies or Friends of Murrysville Parks, call Aiken at 724-325-4026.