As part of my job managing aquatic invasive species for the Department of Environmental Conservation, earlier this summer I traveled to Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom for a site visit to Shadow Lake in the town of Glover.
"Years ago, President Woodrow Wilson grazed sheep on the White House lawn. The wool was sold to raise money for the Red Cross during World War I.
Today there are other reasons to pasture animals on public property in towns and villages – and two Vermont towns experimenting with the practice are seeing positive results.
In Randolph, just at the edge of the village, Jenn Colby’s...
At the height of summer, numerous plants are in bloom. Also in bloom are the reported sightings of invasive plants. While many reports correctly identify common culprits, like Wild parsnip and Japanese knotweed, the suspected sightings of other invasive plants increase because of native plant look-a-likes.
Oak wilt is an aggressive and often deadly disease that affects all species of oaks (Quercus). It is one of the most serious tree diseases in the eastern United States.
Each year thousands of oaks die from this disease in yards, public landscapes and forests. It has been found in 21 states, with considerable damage occurring in...
August is “Tree Check” month. It’s the time when ecologists are out surveying the forests to see if invasive insect species are showing up in the state. Here in Vermont scientists are primarily on the lookout for Asian longhorned beetle, Emerald ash borer, and hemlock woolly adelgid.
So far the longhorned beetle and the emerald ash borer haven’t infiltrated...
As a landscaper, Judson Kimble is used to pulling out tough weeds. But this plant fought back.
"The foliage, the stems, the flowers. Any of it. If you break it, it all has juice inside of it," Kimble said.
That juice earned the wild parsnip its second name, "poison parsnip." And it's the reason Kimble has long, red marks all over his arms. When the sap hit his...
"New York State recently completed its second Invasive Species Awareness Week. The effort to expand awareness about the spread and prevention of invasive species is patterned on an effort that began in the Adirondacks.
Washington, Aug. 3, 2015 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announces August is Tree Check Month and urges people to check trees for signs of the invasive Asian longhorned beetle (ALB). August is a time of peak emergence for the beetle and is most likely when the adult beetle can be seen infesting trees.
"An attractive yellow flower blooming along Southern Tier highways and in open areas is related to the giant hogweed and should be avoided, the state Department of Environmental Conservation advises.
The wild parsnip has expanded its range in recent years, and while not as dangerous as the giant hogweed, which can severe burns and blisters, is still not to...
"There's a new way for Islanders to help keep invasive plants under control.
The first P.E.I. Invasive Species Spotter's Network training workshop starts Thursday.
People will be trained to identify, photograph and report invasive species, to help catch new ones before they become established and widespread on the Island.
The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is an invasive pest that is decimating ash trees across the United States and Canada. By 2019, it’s estimated that the beetle will have caused economic damage to the tune of $10 billion.
"MAYNARD Water chestnut, an invasive water plant, has a nature akin to lily pads on steroids, growing rapidly in nutrient-rich fresh water ponds, lakes and slow-flowing rivers. Unchecked, it will almost completely cover water surfaces, making boating, swimming and fishing impossible. The dense floating mat of overlapping leaves also blocks sunlight penetration, causing oxygen deprivation...
"A University of Minnesota study published Wednesday shows that invasive plant species have an advantage over native species when grasslands are fertilized.
The study involved multiple years of data on 64 grassland sites in 13 countries around the world, including the university's Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve near East Bethel, Minn.
