Invasive Species Week (July 8 – 14) got off to a green start with the opening of our new permanent Invasive Species Display at the 1907 Carriage House with funding provided by Con Edison. Hundreds of visitors have already seen this new exhibit and have taken home copies of a FREE Invasive and Native Plant Identification Guide. With concerns growing about the rapid spread and infestation of plants like burning Giant Hogweed, poisonous Wild Parsnip and others, citizen scientists are needed now more than ever to help recognize these threats and report them or add them to a statewide database.
Talking with peers and constantly exchanging field observations is a must and so at JHC, we have successfully recruited other historic sites and preserves like the Rye Nature Center to join the conversation. We also attended a recent Lower Hudson PRISM partners’ brunch and field trip to stay abreast of new control models. Thanks are due our hosts The Invasives Project – Pound Ridge and educator Carrie Sears who held an informative talk about their efforts using Green Goats with the guidance of Larry Cihanek and the multiflora rose crushing mandibles of “Bo Peep” and “Chocolate Chip.” Goats are a new and sustainable alternative to managing invasive species since they readily devour Japanese knotweed, wineberry and other pernicious non-native species (as well as poison ivy, a pesky, unwanted native!) They have been utilized successfully at many public parks. Also in attendance were volunteers from NYNJTC and Mianus River Gorge to name a few. Read more about the Invasives Project at the Record Review
