Herbicide Update

After a visit to a local Tractor supply store, and perusing their stock of herbicides, I realized how confusing the section of pre-mixed herbicides has become.  When selecting an herbicide, the active ingredient is the important thing.  Using names such Round Up, or Brush Be Gone is no longer an indication of which active ingredients are contained in the bottle.  I will soon be adding information to this blog regarding various invasive plants, and methods for their removal. To avoid confusion, when you read the section of How To Remove - with herbicides (should you decide their use if appropriate in your situation) I will be listing the active ingredient necessary, for example Glyphosate, Triclopyr, Dicamba, or perhaps 2,4-D.  Most, if not all, can be purchased in a concentrated form and used that way when applied directly to a cut stump.  They can also be mixed to the appropriate strength if they are to be used as a foliar spray.  Carefully follow the mixing directions on the bottle.  Pre-mixed versions of herbicides are also fine for use as foliar sprays but be certain to check the label to determine which active ingredients are in there.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

 Help our group come up with a catchy name. We are seeking a name that forms an acronym.  Vote for one of the examples below, or feel free to create your own example or examples. There is a list of some alphabetized words below to help get you started.

1. Scotland Environmental Protection Action League- SEPAL

2. Scotland Against Invasive Plants- SAIP

3. Group Removing Invasive Plants In Town- GRIP IT

4. Scotland Limiting Invasive Plants In Town- SLIP IT

5. or just Scotland Removing Invasive Plants- SLIP

6. Remove Invasive Plants In Town - RIP IT

7. Scotland Opposing Invasive Landscape - SOIL

8. Save Our Important Landscape- SOIL

9. We Ever Eradicate Damaging Species- WEED

10. Scotland Neighborhood Invasive Plants Provide Eradication & Removal- SNIPPER

11. Scotland Neighborhood Invasive Plant eradication- SNIPE

12. Invasive Noxious Species And Needs Eradication- INSANE

13. Or one that some in town may be able to identify with- Group Removing Invasive Plants Environmentally or- GRIPE 

A And Against Action Awareness Activity Advocacy Assembly

B Biodiversity Benefit Body

C Combat Campaign Council Cause Control Change Caring Concerned Citizens

D Damage Do Does

E Ever Environment Ecosystem Ecological Eradicate

F Fight For Form From Force

G Group

H Help Habitat Has

I Invasive Impact Introduced Improve Infestation Initiative

J Job

K Knowledge Know

L Leave Limit Local Land Landscape

M Management Manages

N Native Nature Neighborhood Noxious Needs Now

O Oppose Organization Our

P Plant(s) Please Protect Prevent Provide People Please

Q Quick

R Remove Residents Resources Reason Raise (s)

S Scotland Species Save

T Town Take Task Threat Terrestrial To Terminate

U Understand Under

V Volunteer 

W Working Weed Warrior We

X ?

Y Your

Z ?

 What Are Invasive Plants Versus Native Plants, and Why Should We Care?

The first criteria for an invasive plant is that it is not a native plant to an area.  A Connecticut non-native plant is a plant that did not exist here in Connecticut before European arrival. A date of 1500 is used as an estimate of the year of European arrival. A native plant would be one that was growing here before the time of European arrival, pre-1500.  Over the course of many years native plants evolved gradually to support native insects, birds, wildlife, and people.  While some imported plants support these as well, and not all non-native plants are considered invasive, the likelihood of an imported plant becoming invasive is always a possibility because the imported plant may not be a desirable food source for native herbivores or insects.  Therefore, there is nothing to keep the imported plant's population in check.  Many plants now considered invasive were introduced intentionally from other countries where they were grown as food or for medicinal use, some had ornamental purposes, others were used in erosion control, and some were even introduced to support our wildlife. Other invasive plants hitched a ride unbeknownst to the carrier via seeds in contaminated soil or hidden among cargo. When these plants were intentionally imported for their various uses, they were kept in gardens and cultivated. They did not yet earn their stripes as being invasive. It took years for some of these plants to escape cultivation and reach their present invasive status.  Many of the plants that have made it to the present Connecticut invasive plant list are prolific producers of seed or have root systems capable of spreading long distances and sending up numerous new shoots.  Many examples begin their rapid growth cycle early in the season before our native plants do.   Therefore, they deprive native plants of sunlight and even some of the minerals required for their growth.  Some invasive plants exude chemicals that prevent growth of other plants near them.  Invasive species of plants are more pervasive now then they have ever been in the past. Some of this is due to vast fields of farmland that have been abandoned.  Areas of disturbed soil caused by construction also create a potential new home for invasive species. Some invasive species or their cultivars are still being sold in nurseries and planted by unsuspecting homeowners.  Many of these cultivars retain their ability to become invasive.  The plants can spread by seed eaten by birds or wildlife then dropped onto new areas of your land or to adjacent forest land where you did not originally intend for these plants to colonize.  

At this point, some invasive plants have become so widespread in Connecticut that they are likely here to stay, but with increased human awareness, their population can hopefully be managed. It would be ideal if we could all work together to prevent invasive plants from creating monocultures throughout our town, one where they take over and crowd out our native plants. Preventing the spread of invasive plants is beneficial not only for the survival of native plants and wildlife but it will also benefit all of us as residents of this town.  Spread of invasive plants can ruin agricultural land, choke off waterways, or in some cases increase soil erosion.  It is surprising how the rapid growth cycle of invasives can impede the growth of native plants even trees as strong as Oaks!  The presence of some invasive plants has been proven to reduce property values. Spread of these plants impacts our recreational opportunities by limiting access to woodland and open space where we can hike, fish, camp, or hunt.  I have seen woodland paths completely choked off by Japanese Barberry bushes, to the point where they are virtually impenetrable!  Open space for passive recreation in Scotland, our forests, our brooks, our rivers, this is what makes our town a uniquely special place to live.  I hope I can inspire you to share my interest in caring for our land!

My intention is to introduce a different invasive plant in each of my posts.  I truly feel it is a good thing to be aware of these plants and know both their positive and negative attributes.  It helps to be able to identify each of these plants so that we don't unintentionally aid in their spread.

The majority of acreage in our state is privately owned.  If you own land and are willing to take action to control these invasive plants on at least a portion of that land you will be making a positive impact on the ecosystem and make our town more attractive.  For folks in town who own large tracts of land, it is possible that you may be able to obtain help from a land conservation grant available from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Killingly.  I have been provided a contact Bill Purcell @ 860-412-5258.  You may also visit this page of the USDA website for further information. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/csp-conservation-stewardship-program/connecticut/connecticut-conservation   

Even if you have no intention of removing these plants, make yourself aware of them because some cultivars of invasive plants are still being sold in nurseries, and you can at least avoid adding these to your landscape.   For more information here is a link to a video of a CT state forester addressing and discussing the invasive plant situation in Connecticut.  https://www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/article/ct-invasive-plants-deep-barberry-19433321.php 

                       Connecticut Wildfires Versus Controlled Burns

 

              Photo of Wildfire Natchaug State Forest Photo Credit DEEP

All of the recent press about the devastating wildfires in California made me think about the role invasive plants could play in the risk of spreading wildfires in Connecticut. Research reveals invasive plants do pose an increased risk! That is yet another reason for as much of their elimination as possible. We experienced a period of extreme drought, hot dry air, and windy conditions last summer. This led to 50 forest fires in our state. One of those let to a fatality. Eventually the fires were contained, but at great expense and not without leaving widespread damage. Forest fires are becoming more common in Connecticut. There is no reason to believe that the hot dry and windy weather pattern won't happen again.  Weather patterns like this may perhaps occur with more frequency.  The above photo from 2020 shows a wildfire burning, and out of control at the Natchaug State Park in Connecticut. You can see how the fire travels along the ground being fed by leaf litter and brush. At this point, in addition to invasive plants, our forests contain numerous dead fallen trees adding to the risk of these fires spreading out of control.  Below is information regarding an age-old method of forest maintenance that also involves the use of fire. 

              Photo of a Connecticut Controlled Burn on Connecticut's Coast Photo                                                 Credit Connecticut Public

Prescribed Burning or Cultural Burning was a method long practiced by the Indigenous population of the Americas.  Fire was a tool used for many purposes. One of those purposes was to condition the landscape for a variety of uses. Prescribed burns created a patchwork of contrasting landscapes, a mixture of open grassy fields to attract grazing animals and forested habitats for hunting various other wildlife, or nut gathering. Areas for gathering other foods such as berries or herbs were also maintained using fire. These carefully controlled fires helped to clear underbrush and downed branches and trees making travel easier, while increasing visibility through the forest. It is well documented that these Indigenous Prescribed Burns occurred throughout our country with regularity. The practice also left the landscape less conducive to uncontrolled forest fires. The resulting ash from the fires kept the earth fertile. Upon European settlement, Prescribed Burns were gradually abandoned, at first restricted to areas populated by Indigenous communities. As those communities dwindled through disease or displacement, the practice was nearly abandoned completely. With European methods for farming and creating townships, fire became increasingly perceived as a danger. Now that much of our land has been abandoned for farming purposes, and has been reclaimed by the forest, thoughts by people involved in land management have returned to the practice of Prescribed Burns. Several of these have occurred recently in the state of Connecticut. The CT DEEP has been using controlled burns in place of herbicides to restore grassy habitat that has become infested with invasive plants, and to provide various ecosystems essential for the existence of a variety of wildlife. For more information on this practice click on the following link https://portal.ct.gov/deep/forestry/native-american-use-of-prescribed-fire