Invasive Plants
Native Alternatives
Education
Networking
Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG)
2023 Annual Report
The Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG) is a consortium of individuals, members of environmental organizations, and affiliates of municipal and state agencies whose mission is to promote awareness of invasive plants and their non-invasive exotic and native alternatives. Formed in 1997 as an ad-hoc group, CIPWG is now in its 26th year of operation. The working group meets 1 to 2 times per year to collaborate and share information on the presence, distribution, ecological impacts, and management of invasive plants affecting Connecticut and the region and to promote uses of native or non-invasive alternatives. CIPWG members are affiliated with federal and state agencies, municipalities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), educational institutions, the green industry, and the general community. Rose Hiskes (Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station), Vickie Wallace (UConn Extension), and Emmett Varricchio serve as CIPWG Co-Chairs.
Ms. Wallace also serves as CIPWG’s liaison to UConn, which hosts CIPWG’s website (cipwg.uconn.edu). Alyssa Siegel-Miles and Kristen Ponak serve as the CIPWG webmasters. The website provides information on invasive plant topics that include identification, management, various lists of invasive plants, photos of invasive plants, invasive alternatives, resources, legislative updates, and Connecticut Invasive Plants Council activities. In addition to the Connecticut List of Invasive and Potentially Invasive Plants determined by the Connecticut Invasive Plants Council in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes §22a-381a through §22a-381d, the website includes an Early Detection list and a Research List of plants for which more research is needed. During the 2023 calendar year, there were 92,916 page views on the CIPWG website, and 48,461 users participated in 61,349 sessions.
The CIPWG website provides links to the Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS, eddmaps.org) to submit reports of invasive plants. Additional features include a photo notebook with a gallery of Connecticut invasive plants and links to invasive plant fact sheets and management information. Links to additional factsheets written by the UConn Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program are also on the site.
CIPWG’s news and events listserv has approximately 1250 members from Connecticut and other states in the region. Requests to subscribe to the listserv may be submitted online from the CIPWG website.
The Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group maintains the following subcommittees:
- Education and Outreach (educational outreach about invasive species and their alternatives)
- CIPWG display was used at 5 events around the state in 2023.
- Outdoor Educators held 6 free “Walk, Talk and Cut” events in 5 of Connecticut’s counties.
- 74 people attended these events.
- Management (develop and disseminate information on invasive plant control options)
- Native Alternatives (explore and promote use of native plant species as alternatives to invasives)
- Two publications were released in 2023 and are available on the CIPWG website: Pollinators in Gardens & Meadows and Deer Resistant Native Perennials.
- Research List Review
- Met 5 times in 2023 to review CIPWG’s Research Plant List.
- Made recommendations to the CIPWG Steering Committee regarding plants that should be recommended to the Invasive Plant Council for addition to the CT Invasive Plant list.
- Developed protocol for annual review of the Research List.
CIPWG provides a List of Speakers who are available to give presentations on many invasive plant-related topics, including identification, control, and non-invasive alternatives. CIPWG members and volunteers coordinated and presented numerous lectures, workshops, demonstrations, guided field walks, and invasive plant management events during 2023. CIPWG also maintains two exhibits that feature invasive terrestrial plants and aquatic species that have been displayed at public events.
Since 2002, CIPWG has hosted biennial invasive plant symposia. Symposium 2022 information is available on the CIPWG website. Planning for the 2024 biennial CIPWG symposium has begun.
Summary of 2023 Educational Outreach and Management Activities
CIPWG exhibits were displayed, invasive plant talks were presented, invasive plant educational materials were provided, and/or invasive plant management activities occurred at the following (see table below) local, statewide, and regional events during 2023. All towns are in CT unless otherwise noted; activities occurred in over 60 CT towns. At least 5,345 citizens directly and actively participated in the activities reported below. Many (at least 4,670) were reached indirectly through articles, YouTube videos, social media, fact sheets, signs, and other educational mediums. A minimum of 30,765 hours were directly invested in invasive plant management, during intensive invasive plant training sessions and management activities, as well as educational outreach. A minimum of 5,300 hours were provided indirectly as citizens engaged in educational efforts and learned from videos, articles, and fact sheets.
| Location | Educator/ Leader/ Reporter | Program Title/Outreach Activity | # Partici-pants or Attendees | # Hours Contributed |
| Ashford | Charlotte Pyle | On-site workshop demonstrating the evolution of gardens from beautiful annuals to native perennials for beauty, wildlife habitat and pollinator value, with discussion of garlic mustard and mugwort management. A packet of CIPWG handouts was handed out and a Pollinator Pathway person provided additional materials (7/15). | 13 | 39 |
| Avon | Christine Graesser | Individual planting of native shrubs on municipal road setback disturbed by infrastructure work near a land trust trailhead. With town permission and land trust funding, purchased five native shrubs suitable for the habitat and planted them near the stream bed in the area. Will be scheduling a demonstration of project and invasive plant identification and mitigation techniques (May). | 1 | 3 |
| Bethany | Alison Beres-Nork | Invasive Plant Management Activity: led a team of 4-5 student volunteers to pull invasive barberry, bittersweet, mugwort, knotweed, etc., on Bethany Land Trust trails and on the Amity High School campus. Participants were taught how to ID the plants and properly dispose of them to avoid resprouting (July). | 5 | 50 |
| Bethany | Alison Beres-Nork | Exhibit: Bethany Harvest Fest 2023. Set up a table at the event with posters, plant samples, fact sheets on the invasive plants and insects, and a “guess the invasive” matching game! (10/1). | 150 | 6 |
| Bloomfield | Ron Pitz | Lasallette Park Invasive Plant Removal Project: A presentation was given on invasive plants and how they misplaced native plants….and in some cases kill them. Bittersweet from trees removed with volunteers (August). | 40 | 240 |
| Bridgeport | Marjorie Rival | Community Garden of Joy meeting: discussed the importance of removing invasive plants around the garden such as the morning glory, bittersweet and so on. Informed each gardener where to locate them around the garden and to discard them properly. CIPWG handouts were given to identify other species (September). | 12 | 12 |
| Bristol | Frank Belknap | Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetland Commissions (CACIWC) meeting – staffed table with CIPWG display: Invasive plants and insects. Significant interest by many Conservation Commission members in attendance (November). | 150 | 6 |
| Brookfield | Dr. Joanne M. Cafiero | Field Expedition: Tour of Candlewood Lake community (April). | 1 | 2 |
| Brookfield | Sigrun N. Gadwa | Consulting work: Recommended J. barberry removal along Still River in Brookfield, as wetland mitigation; formal communication on importance of this measure (November). | 1 | 2 |
| Canton/ Collinsville |
Karen Koch Berger & Holly Hambleton | Bicentennial Park: Cut Bittersweet, multiflora rose and honeysuckle along stream (removal of invasive plants around perimeter of park) – Mentored 2 students to ID & remove invasive plants at CPT for community service hours – National Honor Society students, advisor and mentors: ID invasive plants and how to remove – Mentored MG interns & volunteers on Invasive plant ID and removal – Surveyed 2 Canton Land Conservation Trust (CLCT) properties for invasive plants – CLCT Pratt Preserve – led invasive removal – Trail walk for community on how to ID and remove invasive plants – Invasive plant ID and removal workshop for community – Community knotweed cut & paint at Mills Pond – Led CLCT invasive & native plant ID walk through 3 municipal properties – Led CHS students on native & invasive ID walk around school grounds (3/18, 4/15, 4/27, 4/28, 5/1, 5/6, 5/18, 5/27, 5/30, 6/24, 7/21, 7/29, 9/1, 10/8, 10/10, 10/20) |
110 | 12,367 |
| Cheshire | Sigrun N. Gadwa | Invasive plant removal: Three afternoons in late April pulling invasive plants and scraping out seedling patches on the perimeter of town open space in Cheshire, and close to a tributary of the Ten Mile River. Follow-up illustrated Facebook post on garlic mustard (on-line outreach) (April). | 1 | 6 |
| Cheshire | Karen Schnitzer | Invasive plant removal: Pulled/cut mile-a-minute and porcelainberry (July, September). | 1 | 4 |
| Cheshire | Sigrun N. Gadwa | Planning of Ailanthus removal & outreach in Cheshire with the chair of the Cheshire Conservation Commission (August). | 1 | 1 |
| Cheshire | Karen Schnitzer | Removed invasive plants: Bagged up Japanese Knotweed branches with seeds (November). | 1 | 2 |
| Durham | Gail Reynolds | Durham Fair – Information about invasives and the swallow-wort biological control program shared with attendees (September) | 500 | 6 |
| East Haddam | Greg Bugbee | Presentation entitled “Bashan Lake Update – 2023” at the annual meeting of the Bashan Lake Association at the East Haddam Grange (7/21). | 50 | 100 |
| East Haddam | Gary Wilson | Lefebvre Reserve in East Haddam: held a Stewardship Saturday. Cleared small areas of bittersweet, multiflora rose, and Japanese stilt grass, and planted 2 dozen native hazelnuts. Plants were donated by someone who had planted them without realizing they can be pretty aggressive too! Several weeks later, the group returned with a brush hog and mowed the entire area around the parking space, to give the hazelnuts a fighting chance (September). | 4 | 14 |
| East Haddam | Greg Bugbee | Presentation entitled “The Aquatic Vegetation of Cedar Lake, East Haddam, CT” to The Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society Plant Camp at Camp Hazen (9/13). | 40 | 80 |
| East Lyme | Pollinator Pathway East Lyme, Inc | Pollinator meadow and invasive plant management activity: Removed and smothered mugwort. (May/June) | 4 | 20 |
| Essex | Greg Bugbee | Presentation given with Summer Stebbins and Riley Doherty on “Hydrilla in the Connecticut River” to the Essex Marina Commission at the Essex Town Hall (4/27). | 15 | 30 |
| Fairfield | Nancy Perlin | Pulled Mile a minute in my fields (June) | 1 | 12 |
| Falls Village | Peter Picone | Invasive Plant Walk and Talk facilitated at Robbins Swamp Wildlife Management Area, Falls Village, CT. Participants learned about the active management of field and edge habitats. The creation of native meadow and ecotone and the management of several invasives, including mugwort, Canada thistle, reed canary grass, Asiatic bittersweet, and honeysuckle, were discussed (8/27). | 15 | 30 |
| Farmington | Kimberly Nettleton | Invasive plant management activity at Fischer Meadow Trail: Giant hogweed on western side of northbound trail (July) | 3 | 3 |
| Farmington | Sigrun N. Gadwa | Monitored a control project along Farmington River for Japanese knotweed and mugwort using york raking followed by topsoil application (September). | 1 | 2 |
| Glastonbury | Land Coalition of Glastonbury | Nix the Knotweed Events hosted by the Land Heritage Coalition of Glastonbury at Ferry Landing Park in South Glastonbury (5/15, 5/24, 6/21) | 30 | 60 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
In a previously impenetrable hedgerow at town-owned Holcomb Farm, volunteers liberated mature Black Cherry trees from invasive Bittersweet vines, MF Rose and Olive shrubs, preserving young Cherries, Dogwoods and other natives to fill in over time (4/15). | 11 | 26 |
| Granby | David Desiderato | Volunteers pulled and destroyed thousands of non-woody invasives that had flourished in the increased sunlight (5/13). Granby Conservation Commission | 6 | 16 |
| Granby | Victoria Wallace | CNLA Summer Symposium – Information about invasives and the swallow-wort biological control program shared with attendees (July) | 250 | 6 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
Volunteers cut Autumn and Russian Olive, Asiatic bittersweet, MF Rose and other invasive plants in a section of “Hickory Row” on Day St. South, and tagged and preserved native Grey Dogwoods, Black Cherries and Red Oaks (2/11). | 7 | 18 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
Volunteers launched a focused effort over several months to maim and gradually kill over 130 young, old and very old (one over 100 years old) Tree-of-Heaven in four clusters at Holcomb Farm. Cleared access to them using a brush/field mower, loppers, and pruners, and removed obstacles; tested several girdling methods using chisel, hatchet and hand and power saws; researched, gained permission to use and carefully brushed Triclopyr into cambium cuts; and returned to regirdle and re-poison selected trees a second and third time (some had been girdled the previous year). No Spotted Lanternflies were seen on the Tree-of-Heaven, their preferred host plant. These actions were greatly informed by Peter Picone’s presentation at the CIPWG Biennial Symposium in November 2022, which several of the participants had attended and viewed (6/10, 7/8, 8/12, and other days). | 13 | 64 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
After a major rock and earthmoving project at Holcomb Farm transferred mature bittersweet vines and other invasives to a new stone wall, the group installed clear plastic to solarize the plants. It set back the invasives but did not kill all, due to insufficient heat late in a wet summer (August). | 1 | 4 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
Two volunteers followed up on last year’s extensive occultation project targeting dense infestations of Japanese Knotweed on the banks of the Salmon Brook. Cut, gathered and burned thousands of knotweed stems, branches and seeds that had sprouted outside the plastic (September). |
2 | 9 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
After a land contractor used heavy equipment to completely clear a half-acre around the sensitive cowpond at Holcomb Farm, volunteers followed up with brush/field mower, weedwhacker and hand tools to level invasives and cut paths and borders to and around recently planted native shrubs (October). | 5 | 17 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
Volunteers gathered at Stony Hill Village Community, a 49-unit affordable housing development in the center of town, for a day of invasive plant removal, especially Bittersweet, Mugwort, Norway Maple, and MF Rose, in common areas and in private areas on request (10/21). | 7 | 16 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
Proposed Planning/Zoning Regulation: In November 2022 a developer seeking approval of an expansion of a housing development came before the Commission. The presence of one invasive plant (reed canary grass) and a non-native plant were noted in the plans and the group asked if they supported removing them and, further, their opinion on banning invasives and requiring natives from plans; the housing developer willingly agreed. In 2023, a proposed change was drafted to the Granby Planning and Zoning regulations to require plans to include only natives and prohibit invasives. A presentation was made and questions answered at the October Planning & Zoning meeting; distributed CIPWG’s list of invasives and pages from the Vascular Plants of CT Checklist (thanks to Rose Hiskes at CAES/CIPWG for clarifying that that is the best such list) and other resources. The proposal is under consideration and the group is working toward its approval (November). |
3 | 15 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
Volunteers returned to Hickory Row, where 2 years ago bittersweet and many other invasive plants had been removed from mature roadside Shagbark Hickories. Refreshed and maintained (especially cutting resprouted Olives) an area that had taken 4 days to initially clear 2 years ago – a 4 to 1 ratio (11/11). | 8 | 23 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
Volunteers continued initial clearing the usual suspects in new sections along Day St South, revealing an ancient and long-buried stonewall. Identified and tagged natives, including Red Oak, Shagbark Hickory, Basswood, Gray Dogwood, Apple and Black Cherry (12/9). | 9 | 26 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
In response to requests, volunteers visited and toured 5 properties in town. Distributed CIPWG resources, identified invasive and native plants, and recommended courses of action for the homeowners to manage their invasives. Properties ranged from 2 to 9 acres in size. | 2 | 17 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
Pollinator signs: In 2022, there was a Granby Public Library forum discussing “No Mow May.” One outcome was a strong desire for signage that property owners could use to explain their intentional non-mowing. Over several months, the group reviewed signs used elsewhere and then held a well-advertised design contest, which was won by a Granby high school student. The design was used to make 100 lawn signs in the spring. Distributed nearly all of them at cost on request during 2023 (one showed up on Corbin Avenue in New Britain!). | 9 | 56 |
| Greenwich | Rebecca Poirier | Invasive Plant Management Activity, Training Workshop, Presentation: Cleaned up and workshopped at Mianus River Adult Day Center and Fishway Garden in Cos Cob. In this area the Conservation youth corps and other volunteers helped clear porcelainberry, tree-of-heaven, Japanese knotweed, and English ivy in preparation for native plantings in the area for a pollinator friendly garden. While there, an educational lecture was facilitated about fishways (August). | 30 | 120 |
| Griswold, Groton, Preston, North Stonington | Sue Sutherland | Invasive plant management removal of primarily black swallowwort, European and Japanese barberry, Glossy buckthorn, Japanese stiltgrass, Multiflora rose, Oriental bittersweet, Winged euonymus (January – October). | 5 | 250 |
| Guilford | Kathy Connolly | Seminar sponsored by Guilford Land Trust and hosted by the Guilford Public Library entitled, “3 Ways to Fight Invasive Plants.” The presentation explored ways to reclaim backyards, neighborhoods, and parks from the bad effects of nonnative invasive plants. The talk emphasized prevention, identification, and low-impact removal techniques. The role of municipalities in invasive plant prevention and management was also discussed (11/16). | 88 | 170 |
| Haddam | Gail Reynolds | Haddam Neck Fair – Information about invasives and the swallow-wort biological control program shared with attendees (September) | 511 | 6 |
| Hadlyme | Friends of Whalebone Cove | Nix the Knotweed Events on the banks of Whalebone Creek (5/12, 7/14, 8/11). | 30 | 60 |
| Hamden | Sigrun N. Gadwa | Consultant for Hamden LC. Advised regarded severe infestation by multiple species in Jepp Brook Preserve, & mapping invasives (April – October). | 1 | 12 |
| Hamden | Greg Bugbee | With Summer Stebbins and Riley Doherty, hosted the annual meeting of the Connecticut Federation of Lakes held in the Jones auditorium (4/29). | 40 | 80 |
| Hamden | Rose Hiskes | Managed CIPWG table at CAES Plant Science Day in Hamden at Lockwood Farm (8/2). | 3 | 50 |
| Hamden | Sigrun N. Gadwa | Volunteer work for the Hamden Land Conservation Trust: worked on controlling invasives close to Jepp Brook, a tributary of the Mill River, before seed dispersal (May). | 1 | 3 |
| Hampton | Marcia Kilpatrick | Invasive Plant Management Activity; Cut knotweed (3rd year); Planted seed where the knotweed was cut (jewelweed, goldenrod, wild lettuce, garden phlox). White wood aster, jewelweed and others have come up on their own. Worked on 2 roads edges. One site more successful than the other. Final cuttings were cut using a string weed whacker, not raked up; cut very close to the ground. (May, July-Sep) | 18 | 90 |
| Hartford | Greg Bugbee, Kathy Connolly, Frank Belknap, Bill Marshall | Staffed the Connecticut Invasive Working Group display at the Hartford Flower Show (2/23). | 75 | 150 |
| Hebron | Corinne Thurstan | Invasive land management activity: removal of Japanese barberry, poison ivy and honeysuckle from personal property for almost three years. Have pulled hundreds of bushes out by the roots. Received permission to remove invasives from a section of the airline trail that runs through the RAYMOND Brook marsh (February). | 1 | 80 |
| Hebron | Hebron Pollinator Pathway; Rose Hiskes | Invasive Plant Walk, Talk, and Cut: Rose Hiskes led a 2 hour walk around the Raymond Brook Preserve property and discussed the invasive species present. She covered identification, and management techniques (4/22). | 15 | 30 |
| Lyme | Ashwini Sahasrabudhe and Jim Arrigoni | Presentation entitled “Trailside Trespassers: What to Do about Invasive Plants in Our Preserves?” was hosted at the Lyme Public Hall. Ashwini Sahasrabudhe and Jim Arrigoni discussed the impacts of invasive plants to forest health, described the patterns of their infestation based on two months of field research, and addressed how LLT will use this information to inform management options (8/9). | 20 | 40 |
| Mansfield | Greg Bugbee | Presentation entitled “Survey Methods for Aquatic Plants” to The Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society Plant Camp at UConn Avery Point (9/12). | 40 | 80 |
| Meriden | Sigrun N. Gadwa | Pulled young invasive plants on the largely uninfested upper slopes of North Lamentation Mountain (May). | 1 | 1 |
| Middlefield | Jen Huddleston | Invasive Plant Identification talk and demo session, sponsored by The Rockfall Foundation, with time in the woods actively removing: Euonymus, privet, Japanese honeysuckle, multiflora rose, autumn olive, Asiatic bittersweet, and barberry. Also discussed lesser celandine and Japanese knotweed, which were not present on site. Covered: how to identify, and when and how to best eradicate. Touched on Asian Jumping Worms, which are going totally bonkers in this 16-acre piece of land that the group is trying to manage. Followed the session with crackers and bread topped with garlic mustard-infused butter & cream cheese (May). | 18 | 37 |
| Middlefield | Kathy Connolly | Participated in public Symposium (6/17). | 10 | 20 |
| Middlefield | Jen Huddleston | Hired high school students through Youth Summer Employment Program. Students, with an adult supervisor, worked 3 days per week at the Rockfall Forest (16 acres managed by the Rockfall Foundation) eliminating invasive plants. The kids learned a ton, and the two that continued throughout the summer found a lot of satisfaction at seeing the progress made (June, July, August). | 5 | 90 |
| Middletown | Greg Bugbee | Along with the United States Army Corp of Engineers, presented a talk entitled “Connecticut River Hydrilla Research and Demonstration Project” at the Middletown Town Hall (2/29). | 30 | 60 |
| Middletown | Frank Belknap; Pete Picone | Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) Annual meeting at Wesleyan – invasive plant presentation with Pete Picone (March). | 80 | 80 |
| Milford | Greg Bugbee | Presented a seminar on “Composting’ to the Milford Garden Club at the DAR Chapter House (2/14). | 30 | 60 |
| New Canaan | Laura Ferrera | Removal of 128 large Euonymus alatus on private property. | 1 | 72 |
| New Hartford | Rose Hiskes and Todd Mervosh | Invasive Plant Walk Talk and Pull event at the Alfred Sabolcik Preserve. Todd Mervosh and Rose Hiskes, CIPWG volunteers, led a 2 hour walk around this property and discussed the invasive species present and provided information about management strategies.(6/10). | 20 | 40 |
| New Haven | Laura Smith | Invasive plant management activity: Removed swallow-wort vine in two areas of infestation. One area was extremely large (April 21-22). | 2 | 6 |
| New Haven | Sigrun N. Gadwa | Presented concerns about invasive burgeoning in forest habitats after significant increases in light levels due to Eversource’s tree-cutting to widen rights of ways, at a CT Botanical Society Meeting, and in 2 consulting reports received by Eversource. Ongoing; writing article on this topic for CBS newsletter (August). | 1 | 2 |
| North Stonington | Sue Sutherland | Used basal oil and triclopyr ester to treat invasives. | 5 | 100 |
| Old Lyme | Suzanne Thompson | Nix the Knotweed Events at the Lyme Art Association (5/23, 5/31, 6/5). | 20 | 50 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | Participated in formation of invasive plants task force with Old Saybrook Conservation Commission (1/10). Assisted Old Saybrook CC with development of invasive plants web page. (https://www.oldsaybrookct.gov/conservation-commission/pages/invasive-plants-information) | 5 | 15 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | Cut barberry at The Preserve State Forest in Old Saybrook (1/7, 3/4, 4/2). | 27 | 54 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | Mixed invasive removal at public marina, including lambsquarters, dock. Cutting of phragmites and knotweed (6/10). | 9 | 18 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | Invasive Plants Walk, Talk & Work at The Preserve in Old Saybrook. Participants learned how to identify and remove invasive plants in winter. In the first part of this event, Rose Hiskes of the CT Agricultural Experiment Station introduced the free resources offered by CIPWG. Then, participants walked and observed some invasive plants that are easy to see and remove in winter. Upon arrival at a barberry patch, they cut barberry for 45 minutes (12/2). | 10 | 20 |
| Oxford | Rose Hiskes | Invasive Plant Walk, Talk, and Cut: Rose Hiskes led a 2 hour walk around the Little River Preserve property and discussed the invasive species present. She covered identification, and management techniques (5/20). | 10 | 20 |
| Portland | Greg Bugbee | Presentation entitled “Aquatic Plant Management Options for Great Hill Pond, Portland CT” at a stakeholder meeting at the Portland Public Library (2/20). | 76 | 150 |
| Ridgefield | Roberta Barbieri | Ridgefield Conservation Commission worked with volunteers: Removal of burning bush, Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, Asiatic bittersweet from town open spaces (April-September). | 10 | 500 |
| Ridgefield | Roberta Barbieri | Removal of burning bush from public open space over the course of 3 workdays (October) | 40 | 100 |
| Ridgefield | Laura Ferrera | Invasive plant management activity in Aldrich Park, Ridgefield: Removal of euonymus alatus and Ampelopsis brevipedunculata. | 1 | 104 |
| Roxbury | Gail Reynolds | Riverfest Festival – Information about invasives and the swallow-wort biological control program shared with attendees (October) | 72 | 6 |
| Roxbury | Kathleen Nelson | Removed/managed Mile-a-minute on two Roxbury Land Trust properties (8/1, 8/23, 9/12, 10/24) | 4 | 24 |
| Seymour | Joshua Tracy | Timber Harvest-Slash Wall Treatment Viewing. Participants learned about a timber harvest that took place in Seymour, CT for the purpose of experimenting with a slash wall used to exclude deer. The harvest is a ~40 acres silvicultural clear-cut with seed trees interspersed. This experimental cut will show how much deer impact a timber harvest after the fact, and how invasive species react to deer pressure vs. non deer pressure. (5/13) | 10 | 100 |
| South Windsor | Todd Mervosh | Presentation with David Laiuppa at UConn Extension program for managers of school grounds and municipal parks & properties. Covered several invasive plants and poison-ivy CIPWG materials in attendee packets provided by Vickie Wallace and Alyssa Siegel-Miles (9/13) | 110 | 110 |
| South Windsor | Bill Marshall | Apple Fest Celebration: Invasive plant booth and discussion with interested individuals; recruiting volunteers for Work Parties. South Windsor Invasive Plant Working Group (SWIPWG) is a partnership between the Town (Public Works Department, Parks and Recreation Department, and Environmental Planning) and Town residents to manage invasive plants in a 5-acre Town owned wooded Open Space, educate volunteers in identification and control of invasive plants, and construct an Invasive Plant educational trail. Activity consisted of Work Parties to remove/manage invasive plants, mentor volunteers in invasive plant ID/management. Further, improved access grade of ID trail (Eagle Scout project) and established partnership with SWHS Environmental Club to maintain invasive plant educational information (https://sites.google.com/view/trail-invasive-species/invasive-species) for the primary invasives plants encountered along the ID Trail. Planning underway for next steps – educational signage along trail corridor and kiosks at entryways. Educational Materials Distributed: (to approx. 120 people) These materials were distributed at both events and are provided to all new volunteers. (4/8, 5/6, 6/3, 7/1, 8/5, 8/26, 9/2, 10/14; 11/4, 12/2) | 45 | 4,000 |
| South Windsor | Bill Marshall | Farmers Market: Invasive plant booth and discussion with interested individuals; recruiting volunteers for Work Parties. | 45 | 768 |
| Southbury | Greg Bugbee | Presentation on “Invasive Aquatic Plants in Connecticut” at the Southbury Public Library (8/1). | 15 | 30 |
| Southington | Southington Land Conservation Trust | Various work parties throughout the year at our properties to remove invasive Japanese Barberry, Asiatic Bittersweet, Burning Bush, and other invasives. Jan-Dec) | 30 | 455 |
| Southington | Mari Schaffer | Invasive plant management (April, August) | 1 | 5 |
| Stamford | Vincent Piselli | Volunteer program and youth stewardship program at Mill River Park. 50% managed invasive species along the 2+ mile stretch of the Rippowam River (Year-Round). | 1,500 | 7,000 |
| Stonington | Lydia Pan | Joint Program by DPNC and Wild Ones entitled: Invasive Plant Management. TOPICS: 1) Introduction to invasive plant regulation and laws in CT, 2) overview of CIPWG and its website, 3) seasonal field identification of common invasive plants viewed in situ or collected nearby, including Celastrus orbicularis, Rosa multiflora, Berberis species, Ligustrum species. Artemisia vulgaris, Alliaria petiolata, Elaeagnus umbellata, Ficaria verna, Lonicera japonica, Polygonum cuspidatum, Ailanthus altissima, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata. A walk along the Farm Road compared managed and unmanaged areas of the property — for each site, preparation (invasive removal using non-chemical methods such as digging/pulling, mowing, wood chip smother and solarization), planting strategy and maintenance protocols to prevent re-infestation were discussed. Participants received a handout and follow-up email with QR codes and URLs for the CIPWG website (highlighting the invasives photo ID notebook, top ten management calendar and invasive lists), plus curated resources for site preparation and native alternatives to plant (4/15). | 28 | 60 |
| Tariffville | Krista Spada | Educated Governor’s bridge complex HOA during meetings for residents to remove plants, bag & dispose (May). | 100 | 200 |
| Trumbull | Greg Bugbee | Presentation: “Pinewood Lake 2023” for the Pinewood Lake Association (11/28). | 31 | 62 |
| Vernon | CIPWG – Vickie Wallace, Rose Hiskes, Emmett Varrichio | CIPWG General Meeting. Included presentation by Will Hessert from BluSky Biochar (10/11). | 15 | 45 |
| Wallingford | Frank Belknap | CIPWG display at the CAWS annual meeting (March). | 125 | 7 |
| Wallingford | Sigrun N. Gadwa | Prepared a memo to Wallingford IWWC regarding the extensive colonization of silver maple floodplain habitat along Ten Mile River by seeds that wash in via catch basins in this urbanized watershed, especially garlic mustard and mugwort (June). | 1 | 2 |
| Wallingford | Chris Sullivan | Introduced students to Japanese knotweed infestation in riparian buffer area of Wharton Brook. Students have been cutting and controlling (via tarps) knotweed for 1.5 years. This was a new group of students for this work party event (August). | 10 | 23 |
| Wallingford | Sigrun N. Gadwa | Volunteer monitoring/working on a control project along Padens Brook for Japanese knotweed & mugwort using shading by boxelder, grape, & staghorn sumac. Control program also involves cutting 3-4 times a year and pulling shoots of recent colonizers (September). | 1 | 16 |
| Wallingford | Sigrun N. Gadwa | Preparation for and assistance with cut & paint treatment of young Asiatic bittersweet colonizers, in cooperation with a licensed applicator (September). | 1 | 3 |
| West Hartford | Beth Ann Loveland Sennett | Spicebush Swamp Park: Weekly weekday and seasonal Saturday Invasive plant removal work parties (3/25, 4/23, 7/15). | 12 | 225 |
| West Hartford | Beth Ann Loveland Sennett | Clean up of Forest Path, West Hartford: West Hartford’s Wolcott School PTO clean up volunteers and other community partners, including the West Hartford Garden club and West Hartford Tree Action Group, focused on invasive plant clean up/clearing the forest paths/ areas (5/13). | 28 | 140 |
| Westport | Dan Delventhal | Hired by many customers from Greenwich to Bridgeport to remove invasive plants and also to plant natives in their place. At one property in Greenwich, removed 7 truckloads of wing euonymus (burning bush), and overall probably spent an average of 5 hours for 50 customers trying to change the landscape and contain the sprawl of burning bush, Japanese barberry, lesser and greater celandine, Asian bittersweet, Japanese knotweed, Japanese stiltgrass, mugwort and others (April-October). | 50 | 250 |
| Westport, Ridgefield | Laura Ferrera | Invasive plant management activity at Sherwood Island State Park, Westport and Aldrich Park, Ridgefield. Removal of Euonymus alatus and Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (May-August). | 1 | 32 |
| Wilton | Laura Ferrera | Invasive plant management activity at Merwin Meadows Park, Wilton: Removal of Euonymus alatus and Ampelopsis brevipedunculata. | 1 | 16 |
| Wilton | Joe Bear | Continued to eradicate 3/4 acre of mugwort and replace it with a native pollinator meadow. Strategy has been occultation with 6mil black plastic sheeting – has been down nearly 2 years. Seeded entire site in November with self-developed seed mix (forbs and grasses) sourced from Ernst Seeds. | 1 | 120 |
| Woodbridge | Julie Jirikowi | Removed invasives in neighborhood and as part of the UConn Forest Management program. Worked with neighbors and their children to identify and remove Asiatic Bittersweet, Japanese Barberry, stiltgrass, Pachysandra, Wisteria, and more. Identified and captured hundreds of jumping worms. Deer are a large problem in our neighborhood, so group talked about why they are significant to restoring native plants and why this restoration is important. As part of Forest Management program offered by UConn, discussed and shared information about invasive species, and identified and removed them as the outdoor meetings went along. | 10 | 100 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee | with Summer Stebbins, represented CAES at a meeting of the United States Army Corp of Engineers Connecticut River Hydrilla Task Force (1/13). | 20 | 40 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee | as Past President and Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, participated in the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society meeting of the Board of Directors (1/19). | 20 | 40 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee, Rose Hiskes, Victoria Wallace | Meeting of the Connecticut Invasive Working Group Steering Committee (2/7) | 10 | 20 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee | Presentation on “Hydrilla in the Connecticut River” at a virtual meeting of the Connecticut River Conservancy (2/20). | 20 | 40 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee | Virtual update provided on “Invasive Aquatic Plants in Connecticut” at the semiannual meeting of the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel (5/24). | 21 | 42 |
| TOTAL DIRECT: | 5,334 | 30,740 | ||
Indirect Participation (e.g., Articles, Interviews, Podcasts)
| Connecticut | Brad Robinson | Article with photos about water chestnut, which is appearing in local ponds (May). | 500 | 500 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee | Interviewed on “CT River Hydrilla” by CNBC TV (8/15). | 100 | 100 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee | Interviewed on “CT River Hydrilla” by FOX 61 TV (8/16). | 100 | 100 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee | Interviewed on “CT River Hydrilla” by WBUR radio (8/16). | 100 | 100 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee | Spoke on “CT River Hydrilla” at a press conference hosted by Rep. Christine Palm and attended by Sen. Richard Blumenthal at Chester Marina (8/16). | 20 | 200 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee | Interviewed by Debra Atkins of the Lakeville Journal on Hydrilla in Connecticut (9/21). | 100 | 100 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee | Interviewed on CT River hydrilla by Adé Ben-Salahuddin for an episode of the podcast “Bird Notes” (10/1). | 100 | 100 |
| Connecticut | Greg Bugbee | Interviewed by Debra Aleksinas of the Lakeville Journal on hydrilla in East Twin Lake (10/4). | 100 | 100 |
| Connecticut | William Rowlands, Connecticut Gardener |
September/October 2023: Article on Castor-Aralia in September/October 2023 issue Connecticut Gardener Article on Chameleon Plant in September/October 2023 issue Connecticut Gardener | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| Granby | David Desiderato | Granby Conservation Commission February NOT WANTED column created – books, catalogues and online/social media resources | 50 | 100 |
| Granby | David Desiderato | Granby Conservation Commission April NOT WANTED column created – Spotted Lanternfly | 50 | 100 |
| Granby | David Desiderato | Granby Conservation Commission July/August NOT WANTED column created– Tree of Heaven, girdling, Spotted Lanternfly – | 50 | 100 |
| Granby | David Desiderato | Granby Conservation Commission October NOT WANTED column created – Jumping Worms | 50 | 100 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
Podcast: A Granby college student developing a series of “Sapling and Seed” podcasts interviewed a volunteer about common invasive plants and Granby’s activities to control them (12/4). | 50 | 100 |
| Granby | David Desiderato, Granby Conservation Commission |
GranbyInvasivePlants.Weebly.com houses past NOT WANTED columns, included additional pictures and resources (featuring CIPWG) and provided a contact form. Updated regularly throughout the year. | 50 | 100 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | Presentation on Valley Shore community TV (April). | 50 | 100 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | Article on Spotted Lantern fly and Tree-of-heaven (https://www.zip06.com/living/20230119/fighting-the-flying-scourges) (January) | 50 | 100 |
| South Windsor | Bill Marshall | “Invasive Plants in Your Backyard” booklet published by CT River Coastal Conservation District | 50 | 100 |
| TOTAL INDIRECT: | 4,670 | 5,300 | ||
| Out of State Activity: | ||||
| Hyannis, MA | Greg Bugbee | Presentation entitled “Grass Carp in Connecticut Lakes – Somethings Fishy Going on Here” at the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society Conference in Hyannis, MA (1/11). | 150 | 300 |
| Indianapolis, Indiana | Greg Bugbee | Presentation entitled “Hydrilla Invades the Northeast” at the Aquatic Plant Management Society Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana (7/27). | 60 | 120 |
| Sunderland, MA | Cynthia Faith | Invasive plant management activity: Riverwalk Cleanup. A public riverwalk in Sunderland was impacted by recent flooding events and has not been maintained for the past few years, due to lack of outreach, and due to Covid. Flyers were printed and posted locally and Sunderland residence attended to help clean up the site and remove invasive plants such as bittersweet, privet, and Japanese knotweed (7/29). | 10 | 40 |
| State of New Hampshire | Todd Mervosh | Presentations via Zoom for Univ. of New Hampshire Extension – Pesticide Applicator Training Program for applicators with right-of-way site license Identification, Biology, and Management of Invasive Plants Topics: ID, life cycles, means of propagation for herbaceous and woody invasive plants. Also emphasized management options (non-chemical and chemical) and proper use of herbicides. Referred participants to CIPWG website. 1/25/2023 & 10/31/2023 | 35 | 110 |
| New York, NY | Greg Bugbee | Virtual presentation “Green Pond Aquatic Plant Survey” to the Green Pond Ecological Society (2/8). | 11 | 25 |
| TOTAL (OUT-OF-STATE): | 266 | 595 | ||
Submitted by Victoria Wallace (UConn Extension, CIPWG co-chair), with contributions from Rose Hiskes (CIPWG co-chair) and many other CIPWG members included above. December 2023