Certain
animal and plant species brought to this region from other
areas of this continent as well as from other
continents, endanger the native biodiversity of our local
ecosystems. Here, these invasive, exotic species lack the
effective predators that evolved with them in their home
territory. Some
species in our region will begin to feed on the exotic,
invasives - but they will not be enough to control a rapid
spread of the population.
Exotic
plants have a growth advantage over native species, sprouting
leaves earlier in the spring, for example, or losing their
leaves later in the fall, allowing them more time to grow and
dominate space, absorb nutrients from the soil and occupying
air and soil space.
Thus,
exotic species can spread over large areas of land, using-up
the nutrients and sunlit spaces that native plants need to
survive. As a result, the make-up of local ecosystems is
affected. The exotic species may begin to dominate the area,
reducing the availability of food and habitat for wildlife.
For
more information on invasive plants and how to control them,
go to http://www.invasive.org/weedcd/.
What
Can We Do?
Plant
native plant species in our
yards to provide habitat, shelter and food for local animals and
thus nature-watching
fun for us! View
a list of native MA plants.
Purchase native plants at nurseries
like Garden
in the Woods in
Framingham and New
England Wetland Plants in
Amherst, among others. Learn
more.
Let's make our yards models for green living.
Remove
& properly dispose of invasive, exotic plant species from our yards, and help
others to do so. Learn
how.
Remove
& properly dispose
of Garlic
Mustard.
Remove
& properly dispose
of Japanese
knotweed.
Remove
& properly dispose of Burning
bush.
Remove
& properly dispose of Japanese
barberry.
Help
NepRWA and DCR control Purple
loosestrife in the Fowl
Meadow wetlands of the Blue Hills Reservation. Learn about the
5-year project
and volunteer
opportunities.
Help
DCR Forestry Assistant Alexandra
Echandi (617-727-4573
ext 219) control Mile-a-Minute
& Black
swallow-wort. View a news
program on Mile-a-minute.
Help
locate Asian
longhorned beetles.
Lastly,
when walking or boating through areas infested with exotic
invasives, clean your clothing (including shoes) and equipment
before entering other areas. Let's avoid spreading seeds!
Miscellaneous
Learn
to identify and
control exotic, invasive plant species.
The
exotic,
invasive plants of New England.
Invasive
Plant Atlas of New England.
Choose
plants to replace
exotic, invasive species in your yard.
More
native plants for your yard!
