STOP THE INVASION!
Invasive species are destroying our local habitat. Strange plants are taking over our flower beds. Climbing vines are strangling the trees along our parkways.
NYS has passed a law to try to control the onslaught
http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/93848.html . The Town's Conservation Advisory Council has adopted a resolution not to recommend planting schedules proposing to plan invasive vegetation.
Beware: under a grace period, merchants in New York State may still be offering some invasive species for sale and you may unknowing buy an invasive species. Some examples of invasive species that are often included in landscaping in our town are Japanese Barberry and Crimson King Norway Maples.
You can help in this fight.
What makes a species invasive and why should you care?
An invasive species can be any kind of living organism that is not native to an ecosystem and causes harm to the environment, the economy or human health.
Direct threats:
§ Preying on native species
§ Out-competing for food and resources
§ Causing or carrying disease
§ Preventing native species from reproducing
Indirect threats:
§ Changing the food chain in an ecosystem
§ Decreasing biodiversity: aggressive plant species can quickly replace a diverse ecosystem with a monoculture.
§ Altering ecosystems conditions: some invasive species are capable of changing soil chemistry.
What you can do to curb the spread of invasive species:
§ Learn to identify invasive plants like Japanese Barberry here:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/isprohibitedplants2.pdf
§ Plant native plants in your garden
§ Remove invasives from your garden.
§ Regularly clean your boots, gear, boat, tires and other equipment you use outdoors to remove insects and plant parts that may spread invasive species
§ Don't transport firewood from your camping site back home.
Get Involved!
Invasives Strike Force surveyors- New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. Learn how to identify 14 common invasive plants and how to survey linear areas such as hiking trails, roadsides and parking lot perimeters. Volunteers attend a free 1-day training class and then are
assigned a survey responsibility within their preferred area. For more information go to
http://www.nynjtc.org/invasives
The Invasives Project-Pound Ridge Trail Patrol. Every Wednesday (May - October) 10:30 - 12:30. Meet at Town Park, 199 Westchester Ave, Pound Ridge. For more information email
invasivesPR@bedfordaudubon.org or see the Facebook page: The Invasives Project- Pound Ridge. Bring pruners. Walk town preserves and provide light management of invasive plants.
The Native Plant Protector Program at Pound Ridge Land Conservancy
Invasive plant species are well established on most of our preserves and are a threat to local biodiversity. To supplement the ongoing effort by PRLC staff and board members, we look to our dedicated Native Plant Protectors to clear their assigned area(s) of invasive plants. By working within a flexible schedule, our Native Plant Protectors spend a good deal of time in the field making a real ecological difference. See more volunteer opportunities at PRLC at
http://prlc.net/volunteer/
Invasive Species Removals with Scenic Hudson. Every other Saturday. At Scenic Hudson preserves in Esopus and Beacon. Learn to identify various invasive plants and help your local preserve. See upcoming events on our
calendar. For more information go to
http://www.scenichudson.org