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Invasive Species

“These species are not inherently bad. They’re just in the wrong place.” – David Lodge

An invasive species is a species of plant (or other living thing) which is not native to an area and has a detrimental effect on the ecological community. We have several plants that have taken over areas both at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods. Shrubs such as honeysuckle and autumn olive tend to shade out the ground cover and grow rapidly. Plants like garlic mustard and Dame’s rocket look pretty, and can even be useful (garlic mustard is edible) but will displace native plants. One fast-growing tree that we cut and treat with herbicide is called tree of heaven. We also remove plants such as hackberry and ironwood from our oak savanna and oak woodland restorations, as well as dogwoods, elms, and cedars from our prairie restorations. On our floodplains, we dig up purple loosestrife and cut-leaved teasel.

Cut-leaved teasel

 

 

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