Invasive Species Remediation
What is an invasive species?
An invasive species does not originate or is not native to a specific area. They can wreak havoc on the ecosystem and cause extensive damage. They can either be accidentally introduced or purposely placed in an area.
Why is it important to remove/eradicate invasive species?
Removing invasives can be crucial to the ecosystem. Invasives can outcompete the native species and take over an area and it can happen very fast. Native plant species can provide food, shelter, protection from predators or the weather, and much more. Having invasives like Japanese knotweed taking over an area can cause bank instability on rivers and increase erosion. The plant's roots can also cause pipes to crack or get plugged if overwhelmed by the plant. Some areas taken over by Japanese knotweed can become inhabitable and that leaves native species to have to move or be wiped out completely.
What difference is the crew making?
The crew has eradicated/removed several acres of invasive knotweed from sections of the watershed throughout several seasons.
Taking out invasive species like Japanese knotweed is not an easy task. It is labor intensive work and it is hard to completely get rid of Japanese knotweed. It takes over an area and continues to spread and trying to control the expansion is a problem many places throughout the region face.