The Aliens Have Landed!

A while ago, we blogged about "Aliens Have Landed: Exotic Invasive Species of New England," an ABC book about invasive species written by students at the Fall Brook Elementary in Leominster, MA. We're happy to report that to help get the word out about invasive species, Ms. Fiandaca and her class have generously allowed us to share a digital copy of "Aliens Have Landed" for anyone to view and print out. Perhaps it will inspire other groups of children to create their own guides.

Please note that the file is 10Mb and may take a while to download.

Mile-A-Minute: Invasion of the Aliens

What lives in the Blue Hills, grows 6 inches a day and is destroying the habitat of our native species? Join DCR Forestry Assistant Alexandra Echandi for a talk about Mile-a-Minute, an invasive weed recently identified in the Blue Hills. Learn how to identify, report and help control the spread of this and other invasive plants.

The lecture will be held on Saturday, February 27 at 9am in the Trailside Museum Auditorium in Milton, MA. Call 617-698-1802 x219 to register.

Can't make the talk? Download our mile-a-minute flyer and learn to tell this invasive plant apart from similar species.

Fall Brook Elementary Students Write Book About Invasive Species

Students at Fall Brook Elementary in Leominster, MA have written an ABC book about invasive species titled, "Aliens Have Landed: Exotic Invasive Species of New England". The book details exotic pests from the Asian longhorned beetle to the zebra mussel.

The students, now in the sixth grade, created the book last year in their science class as part of a Community Service Learning Project focusing on educating students and community members about invasive species.

Each page of the book, designed for grades 1-3, was written by a different student and describes the damage to the environment caused by non-native pests. One student wrote about the Asian longhorned beetle, "You wouldn't want to find one of these climbing up your hardwood trees!" Another wrote about invasive species in general, "Spread the word about these dreaded invaders!" The entries in the book are accompanied by inventive and colorful drawings.

Teacher Lynn Fiandaca said the students "loved everything about the project" and became experts on the invasive species they studied. She said she was "impressed with their dedication to learning and sharing information with the community. They really did develop a sense of stewardship and commitment to keep our local ecosystem healthy and diverse."

To help get the word out about invasive species, Ms. Fiandaca and her class have generously allowed us to share a digital copy of "Aliens Have Landed" for anyone to view and print out. Perhaps it will inspire other groups of children to create their own guides.

The Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project (MIPOP), created by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, often sends teachers information about invasive species, including flyers, posters and DVDs. Staff from MIPOP also visit schools in MA to give talks to students about the Asian longhorned beetle and other invaders. Teachers interested in ordering outreach materials or scheduling talks can contact jennifer.forman-orth (AT) state.ma.us.

Invasive plants in holiday decorations

State environmental officials are urging consumers to avoid invasive plants in holiday decorating.

With the holiday season fast approaching, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) and the Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Fish and Wildlife (MassWildlife) are urging homeowners and holiday decorators to beware of invasive plants that may be used in holiday wreaths and garlands.

“Many invasive plants serve as beautiful holiday decor, but these plants are a serious threat to the integrity of native biodiversity in the Commonwealth,” said DAR Commissioner Scott Soares. “Consumers should be conscious of which species are problematic.”

The two most common invasive plants used in holiday wreaths and garlands are Oriental Bittersweet and Multiflora Rose. While both plants are attractive, they can cause severe environmental damage by invading open fields, forests, wetlands, meadows and backyards, and crowding out native plants. Oriental Bittersweet is known to kill mature trees through strangling, and multiflora rose can form impenetrable thickets that keep out native plant species. Both species are difficult to control because even when the plants are cut, remaining segments in the ground will re-sprout. The placement of wreaths and garlands outdoors or disposing of them in compost piles can lead to new infestations when the fruits on these decorations are broadcast onto the soil. Birds and other animals also eat the fruit from wreaths and garlands and deposit seeds elsewhere.

Under Massachusetts law, it is illegal to import or sell Oriental Bittersweet or Multiflora Rose in any form (plants or cuttings) in the state.

To control the spread of invasive species, Massachusetts developed a Prohibited Plant List, which bans the importation and sale of more than 140 plants identified as either noxious or invasive in the Commonwealth. The complete list, which was established in 2006, can be found on the Department of Agricultural Resources web site.

The list of plants was developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group (MIPAG). MIPAG members represent research institutions, non-profit organizations, green industry businesses and associations, and state and federal agencies. The list is a product of scientific analysis, and represents the scientific consensus of groups and individuals with a broad range of perspectives on the subject of invasive plants.

The Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, a division of MassWildlife, has also produced A Guide to Invasive Plants in Massachusetts. The book, which costs $5, includes photos and detailed descriptions for more than 60 invasive plants.

Photo of Oriental bittersweet wreath by Courtnay Janiak via Flickr

Updated Invasive Plant Pages

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources has recently updated the invasive plant pages on its website. Now that the "phase out" period has ended, the Prohibited Plant list has been simplified. You can also now view the list sorted by common or scientific name. If you would prefer a print version of this list, you can download it here.

The invasive plant regulations prohibit the sale, trade, purchase, distribution and related activities for all species on the list. If you have questions about the list or the regulations behind it, you can contact jennifer.forman-orth@state.ma.us or call 617-626-1735.

Phase-out period for prohibited plants has ended

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources regulates a list of Prohibited Plants, more than 100 non-native species that are considered invasive or noxious weeds. These plants are prohibited from sale, trade, distribution, and related activities in our state. As of January 1, 2009, the following ornamental species, which had been under a phase-out period, now fall under the same regulations as the other species on the list:

• Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
  
• Bell’s honeysuckle (Lonicera x bella) [L. morrowii x L. tatarica]
  
• Bishop's weed; goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)
  
• Burning bush; winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus/alata)
  
• Creeping Jenny; moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia)
  
• Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
  
• Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
  
• Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)
  
• Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
  
• Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)
  
• Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica)
  

You can see the entire prohibited plant list sorted by common or scientific name, or download a print version here.

Hydrilla in Hobomock Pond

The invasive plant Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) was discovered this past summer in Hobomock Pond in Pembroke, Massachusetts, only the second known site in our state. A volunteer from the Department of Conservation and Recreation's Weed Watchers Program made the discovery in August and contacted DCR biologists, who confirmed the identification. A survey of the pond found it to be heavily infested. State biologists also surveyed the nearby Furnace Pond, Little Sandy Bottom Pond, Great Sandy Bottom Pond, Mill Pond, Stetson Pond, and Oldham Pond, but did not detect any Hydrilla.

Hydrilla is an extremely aggressive, non-native aquatic plant that has devastated waters in Florida and other southern areas with its lake-choking growth. To date, it has been documented at only one other Massachusetts location, in a pond in Barnstable.

DCR Lakes and Ponds staff have already begun working with the Massachusetts Aquatic Invasive Species Working Group, the Pembroke Ponds Watershed Association, and the Pembroke Conservation Commission to develop and execute a response plan to manage and, it is hoped, eradicate the Hydrilla in Hobomock Pond and prevent its spread.

“The detection of this invasive plant is an excellent example of what can be accomplished through education and partnership with concerned citizens at the local level,” said DCR Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr. “It reinforces the benefit of investing in a group of citizens to help DCR with its mission by serving as the agency’s eyes and ears at lakes and ponds across the state. We are deeply grateful for the help from a private citizen in this particular case.”

Weed Watchers training is a free service provided by DCR to lake associations and other concerned groups. A key goal is to prevent infestation of Massachusetts’s lakes and ponds by non-native, invasive aquatic plants, and to work toward controlling and removing existing populations of invasives. The program trains local groups to monitor their lakes and ponds and to develop a removal plan if an infestation is found.

To find out more about how you can become a Weed Watcher, click here.

Getting to know Giant Hogweed

This time of year, the Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project's Pest Hotline gets a lot of calls and emails about Giant Hogweed. Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is a large, stout plant in the Carrot family, and due to its toxic sap, is a federally listed noxious weed. It has been present in Massachusetts for several years. The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is actively managing all hogweed populations with the goal of eradication.

If you think you've seen Giant Hogweed, we encourage you to file a Pest Report or call our Pest Hotline at 617-626-1779. But first, take a look at this excellent resource from IPANE that will help you determine if you've really got Giant Hogweed, or one of several similar-looking plants:



Related resources:

• A list of confirmed sightings in Massachusetts
• Our Giant Hogweed fact sheet
  

(Photo by David Marrison, Ohio State University Extension)

Invasive Plant Training

If you are a Massachusetts resident concerned about invasive plants, consider signing up for one of the IPANE Volunteer Training Sessions being held this May and June. IPANE teaches volunteers how to identify invasive plants and enlists them to conduct monitoring surveys across New England. The beginner training for western Massachusetts is coming up soon, on May 3, and there is also a Getting Started Workshop for the Appalachian Trail in Sheffield, MA.

If you really want to get your hands dirty, there are also invasive plant pulling events throughout the spring and summer, including one for water chestnut (Trapa natans) in Rowley and glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) in Winchendon. Check out the IPANE volunteer page for a complete listing.