Yes, we absolutely do.  All you have to do is look into areas where there
is lots of it — and you’ll see that soon there will be NOTHING else!  It is
particularly bad along your street and in the parkland across from the
entrance to Hidden Beach.

What makes invasives “invasive” is that they put out so much seed material
than the native plants  that they can easily outcompete any of the natural
plants.  And much of this seed material is viable in the soil for several
years!

Am more encouraged some days than others.  Was over in the conservation area
near Burnham Bridge this afternoon  with Meredith Montgomery, showing her
the invasives and some of the good stuff that is starting to thrive — many
baby oaks, cedars, much sumac — now that it has been freed from the
buckthorn.

The herbaceous plants — the garlic mustard, motherwort, burdock, European
bell flower — are an even bigger challenge now that the seed material is
being exposed to the sun, something that wasn’t happening when there was
“only buckthorn”!

Yea for all the help you and your neighbors can render!

Ruth

Talked with four young people today at the site who are interested in this
ongoing work and have expressed willingness to help, particularly with the
buckthorn the garlic mustard, which they can now easily identify.  This is
the kind of thing that is really encouraging.