Jay Heritage Weeding Out Invasive Plants

It's more serious than patches of crab grass marring an otherwise pristine lawn. The problem of invasive plant species is a serious one across the country and in New York State. According to the Invasive Plant Council of New York, more than 30 percent of the state's plant life is not native to the state. While diversity is important, even for plants, invasive species actually threaten the ecosystem. Invasive plants "aggressively compete with, and displace, locally adapted native plant communities."

This afternoon Jay Heritage Center is hosting a three-hour program for burgeoning and professional environmentalists interested in rooting out the problem of invasive species. 

The training progra has been funded by a grant from ConEdison and participants will be taught to identify and track invasive species using their smartphones and an interactive map called iMap Invasives.

New York is currently tracking and mapping 6 invasive species:

• Mile-a-minute Vine
• Giant Hogweed
• Japanese Knotweed
• Japanese Stiltgrass
• Pale Swallowwort
• Water Chestnut

You can learn more about identifying invasive species and participating in the tracking program at the Invasive Plant Council of New York State's website.