Author: Siegel-Miles, Alyssa

Good News on Recent Invasive Plant Legislation

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Over the past year, a CIPWG subcommittee reviewed the CIPWG research list (plants that were being studied to determine invasive potential) and made recommendations to the Invasive Plants Council (IPC) regarding plants that should be moved to the invasive plant list. The IPC is the state-mandated body that recommends changes or updates in invasive species legislation to the CT legislature through the Environment Committee (EC).

In the IPC annual report, the IPC made recommendations to the EC. The EC followed the suggestions of the IPC and submitted a bill (HB 5225) to the legislature. It passed through the house and senate and the governor signed the bill into law this Tuesday (5/14).

The bill includes:

  • Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) will be added to the CT invasive plant list with a 3-year phase out period; it will be prohibited from sale as of October 2027.
  • Quackgrass (Elymus repens) and Japanese angelica tree (Aralia elata) will be added to the invasive plant list and prohibited from sale as of October 2024.
  • Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) and Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) will be added to the potentially invasive plant list and prohibited from sale as of October 2024.
  • Porcelainberry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata) and Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), which are already on the invasive plant list, will be added to the prohibited from sale list as of October 2024.

You can read the text of the bill, view testimony, votes of CT legislators, and more at cga.ct.gov.

We, the CIPWG co-chairs, are thrilled to see CIPWG, the IPC, and the Environment Committee work together in such an effective way to make progress on regulation of invasive plant species in CT.

We are grateful for the efforts of CIPWG members, the IPC, and the Environment Committee for the continued effort to take meaningful steps to regulate invasive plant species in our state.

We are in the process of updating the Invasive Species list with the changing regulations and will keep posted on those updates as they are completed.

Vickie Wallace, Rose Hiskes, and Emmett Varricchio, CIPWG Co-chairs
info@cipwg.org

Read CIPWG’s 2023 Annual Report

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Thank you for reporting your 2023 Invasive Plant Activity!

The CIPWG 2023 Annual Report is a compilation of reported invasive plant management and education activity for the 2023 year.

Read the 2023 CIPWG report HERE

 

The report details the invasive plant management and educational activities that occurred in over 60 CT towns throughout the year. At least 5,345 citizens directly and actively participated in the activities reported. 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.

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)
  • 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. 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.