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 25th 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. Emmett Varricchio, Rose Hiskes (Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station), and Vickie Wallace (UConn Extension) serve as CIPWG Co-Chairs.
Ms. Wallace also serves as CIPWG’s liaison to UConn, which hosts CIPWG’s website (cipwg.uconn.edu). Kristen Ponak serves as the CIPWG webmaster. 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, resources, legislative updates, and Connecticut Invasive Plants Council activities. In addition to the Connecticut 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 Connecticut Invasive Plants Council activities. In addition to the Connecticut List of Inv and a Research List of plants for which more research is needed. During the 2022 calendar year, there were 71,496 page views on the CIPWG website, and 32,000 users participated in 41,000 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)
- Management (develop and disseminate information on invasive plant control options)
- Native Alternatives (explore and promote use of native plant species as alternatives to invasives)
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 2022. 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. While COVID-19 continued to prevent the opportunity for an in-person symposium, the eleventh biennial symposium was convened via web program on November 3, 2022 with 420 people attending. The symposium theme was Strategies for Managing Invasive Plants: Assess, Remove, Replace, and Restore. The program was successfully implemented and well received. The all-day event featured regional and local experts as well as citizen volunteers sharing practical solutions for invasive plant management and actions needed to promote native species and improve wildlife habitat. Symposium information is available on the CIPWG website.
Summary of 2022 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 2022. All towns are in CT unless otherwise noted; activities occurred in over 50 CT towns. At least 5,106 citizens directly and actively participated in the activities reported below. Many more (at least 7,687) were reached indirectly through articles, YouTube videos, social media, fact sheets, signs, and other educational mediums. A minimum of 21,316 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 904 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 Contri-buted |
| Bloomfield | Rose Hiskes and Todd Mervosh | Invasive Plant Walk and Talk at Seabury Active Life Plan Community. (5/21) | 16 | 32 |
| Branford | Matt Reed | Todds Hill Preserve: Cut, pile autumn olive, multiflora rose, mugwort, oriental bittersweet, Euonymus, and Ailanthus. 36 hrs by tractor brush cutter; 265 hrs using our walk behind our brush cutter, chainsaws, loppers, and hand saws. (all year) | 12 | 301 |
| Branford | Patrick Sweeney and Lauren Brown | Branford Conservation & Environment Commission and Branford Land Trust: Removal of lesser celandine on the Gould Lane
BLT property. (5/2) |
5 | 10 |
| Branford | Patrick Sweeney and Lauren Brown | Branford Conservation & Environment Commission and Branford Land Trust: Invasive plant removal (garlic mustard, black jetbead, and others) at Flax Mill Road Park. (5/6) | 6 | 18 |
| Branford | Patrick Sweeney and Lauren Brown | Branford Conservation & Environment Commission and Branford Land Trust: Invasive plant removal (multiflora rose, Japanese barberry, Japanese honeysuckle, privet) at Youngs Pond Park. (5/7) | 6 | 24 |
| Branford | Patrick Sweeney and Lauren Brown | Branford Conservation & Environment Commission and Branford Land Trust: Removal of autumn olive at Stony Creek Quarry Preserve (powerline right of way). (6/29) | 3 | 6 |
| Branford | Patrick Sweeney and Lauren Brown | Branford Conservation & Environment Commission and Branford Land Trust: Invasive plant removal (Morrow’s honeysuckle, Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, mugwort, buckthorn) at Stony Creek Quarry Preserve. (7/20) | 7 | 17.5 |
| Branford | Patrick Sweeney and Lauren Brown | Branford Conservation & Environment Commission and Branford Land Trust: Removal of porcelain berry on private property. (8/19) | 9 | 27 |
| Branford | Patrick Sweeney and Lauren Brown | Branford Conservation & Environment Commission and Branford Land Trust: Removal of Japanese stiltgrass at Red Hill Woods Reserve. (9/15) | 4 | 8 |
| Branford | Patrick Sweeney and Lauren Brown | Branford Conservation & Environment Commission and Branford Land Trust: Removal of Japanese stiltgrass at Hoadley Creek Trailhead. (9/17) | 2 | 5 |
| Branford | Patrick Sweeney and Lauren Brown | Branford Conservation & Environment Commission and Branford Land Trust: Removal of porcelain berry at “Anderson Lookout” Park. (10/19) | 2 | 4 |
| Branford | Patrick Sweeney and Lauren Brown | Branford Conservation & Environment Commission and Branford Land Trust: Invasive plant removal (wineberry, Japanese barberry, privet, multiflora rose). (11/5) | 6 | 24 |
| Bristol | Mary Rydingsward | Internship and meeting with Park supervisor; Habitat assessment. (3/10, 3/18, 3/25) | 3 | 10 |
| Canton | Theresa Sullivan Barger | Removal of invasive knotweed at Peace Pole Pollinator Pathway native flower garden area. Master gardeners informally educated people about invasives as they walked past. (May, July, September) | 6 | 18 |
| Cheshire | Karen Schnitzer | Vinca removal from church garden. (5/11) | 2 | 2 |
| Cheshire | Karen Schnitzer | Invasive plant pull (10 students, 4 leaders, 1 educator) at Quinnipiac Valley Audubon Society’s Riverbound Farm in Cheshire by students from Cheshire Academy. (April) | 15 | 17 |
| Cheshire | Karen Schnitzer | Invasive control: Pulled/cut garlic mustard, multiflora rose, Japanese knotweed. (6/5) | 1 | 2 |
| Cheshire | Karen Schnitzer | Invasive control: Cut/stifle porcelain berry, mile a minute vine. (9/18) | 1 | 2 |
| Chester | Malcolm Meldahl | Pulling and removal of water chestnut at Chester Ferry Landing. | 1 | 0.5 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger | Cherry Brook Garden Club and Canton Land Conservation Trust: Removal of massive bittersweet vines on all the trees in Bicentennial Park, Collinsville and along the Farmington River adjacent to the park. Volunteer education (identification, cutting, painting of invasives) and removal of debris piles. (3/20, 3/26, 3/28) | 28 | 85 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger | Collinsville Pollen Trail: Cut barberry while snow is on the ground. (3/3, 3/5, 3/10, 3/11) | 5 | 43 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger | Bicentennial Park: Cut bittersweet vines enshrouding trees to restore park. Land trust & garden club members, Master Gardeners and interns, neighbors, and people walking the trail all volunteered. (3/20, 3/26) | 28 | 78 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger | National Honor Society students, advisor & 5 mentors: ID plants and how to remove bittersweet, burning bush, barberry, honeysuckle, garlic mustard. (5/7) | 18 | 30 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | CT Trails Day: Offered educational materials on native & invasive plants and insects, gave tours of trail & pollinator gardens every hour. (6/4) | 45 | 135 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger | Japanese knotweed removal weekly from May 3 to July 15. | 10 | 136 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | Tuesday Tour of Collinsville Pollen Trail. Topic: Pollinators and their native host plants. (6/4) | 9 | 18 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | Tour with State Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw, discuss issues: knotweed; invasive plants on public & private land. (6/18) | 8 | 16 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | CPT Topic: invasive plants in your yard. (6/21) | 12 | 24 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | CPT Tour: Right plant, right place, natives
for dry conditions. (6/19) |
9 | 18 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | Canton Land Conservation Trust property, Charlotte Craig: Preparing for planting native perennials plugs: ID a Grass, possible Reed Canary Grass. (6/24) | 3 | 6 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | CPT Tour: Jumping worms and what is blooming. (6/26/) | 10 | 20 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | CPT knotweed cutting & painting weekly from August 11 to August 31. | 17 | 95 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger | Bicentennial Park: Painted bittersweet. (8/31) | 4 | 12 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | Cutting & painting of Japanese knotweed weekly from September 2 to September 27. | 2 | 20 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Laurie Columbia | Bicentennial Park: Removed poison ivy and painted bittersweet. (9/14) | 4 | 24 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | Eagle Scout project: Install 4 bird nesting boxes, plant native saplings, remove invasive plants. (10/2) | 12 | 48 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | Eagle Scout project: Identify & remove invasive plants (10/8) | 10 | 30 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | Bicentennial Park: Remove first year garlic mustard plants. | 2 | 4 |
| Collinsville | Karen Berger and Holly Hambleton | Cut & paint knotweed. (10/8-10/28) | 7 | 31 |
| Coventry | Regina Malsbary | Invasive Plant Management Activity: Guided Tour | 1 | 2 |
| Deep River | Gail Reynolds | “Invasives 101: How to Identify and Combat Invasive Plants” presentation for the Deep River Sustainability Committee. (6/29) | 25 | 30 |
| Deep River | Gail Reynolds | Presentation: “Native, Non-Native, and Invasive Plants” (3/15) | 20 | 25 |
| Deep River | Malcolm Meldahl | Pulling and removal of water chestnut at Post Cove. | 1 | 3 |
| East Granby | Anteneh Abrham | Howard Preserve: Invasive control (dig up, cut/paint). (6/5, 6/14, 9/17, 10/1) | 17 | 51 |
| East Granby | Cathy Delasco | Pond Meadow: Invasive control (dig up, cut/paint). (5/5, 5/6, 5/7, 5/8, 6/7, 6/17, 6/22, 8/20, 9/12) | 29 | 76.5 |
| East Granby | Cathy Delasco | Seneca Corridor: Invasive control (dig up, cut/paint). (8/21) | 4 | 7.5 |
| East Granby | Michelle Clifford | Ian Clark Preserve: Invasive control (dig up, cut/paint). ( 6/7, 6/17, 7/30, 9/24, 10/15) | 7 | 13.5 |
| East Granby | Sander Hamilton | Eastfield Farms: Invasive control (dig up, cut/paint). (9/15) | 2 | 10 |
| East Granby | Sander Hamilton | Griffin Marsh: Invasive control (dig up, cut/paint). (7/13, 8/24, 9/24, 9/30, 10/15, 10/19) | 9 | 17.5 |
| East Haddam | Gary Wilson | Stewardship Saturday event coordinated by the East Haddam Conservation Commission. The drainage area from Pizzini Pond at the Chapal Farm Patrell Preserve was overrun with burning bush and oriental bittersweet. The team cleared a large area of these plants in preparation for planting native replacements. 20+ black elderberries were placed in the fall of the year. (4/22) | 20 | 60 |
| East Hartford | Frank Forrest | Community meeting about invasives. (March) | 8 | 9 |
| Essex | M. Stacks | Essex Land Trust: Pulled barberry | 1 | 3.5 |
| Essex | J. Croyle | Essex Land Trust: Pulled barberry | 7 | 70 |
| Essex | M. Stacks | Essex Land Trust: Invasive control of Japanese barberry | 1 | 20 |
| Essex | M. Stacks | Essex Land Trust: VRHS barberry | 12 | 43.5 |
| Essex | J. Croyle | Essex Land Trust: Invasive control of Japanese barberry | 1 | 20 |
| Essex | J. Croyle | Essex Land Trust: VRHS barberry | 10 | 15 |
| Essex | J. Cozenso | Essex Land Trust: Invasive control of various invasives | 1 | 30 |
| Essex | L. Owen and M. Carozza | Essex Land Trust: VRHS barberry | 12 | 24 |
| Essex | L. Owen and M. Carozza | Essex Land Trust: Invasive control of Japanese barberry | 7 | 44 |
| Essex | Dirk S. | Essex Land Trust: Invasive control of Japanese barberry and autumn olive | 5 | 17.5 |
| Essex | S. McCoip | Essex Land Trust: Invasive control | 1 | 15 |
| Essex | M. Augusta | Essex Land Trust: Invasive control | 1 | 6 |
| Essex and Ivoryton | S. McCoip | Essex Land Trust: Control of barberry, bittersweet, and multiflora rose | 1 | 15 |
| Fairfield | Ted Luchsinger | Expert Panel Discussion of Invasives Hosted by Emmett Varricchio. Covered most CT identified invasives. (3/12) | 326 | 489 |
| Fairfield | Dan Delventhal | Virtual Invasives Panel with CPIWG, Audubon CT, Aspetuck Land Trust, MowGreen, Fairfield Pollinator Pathway. (June) | 250 | 135 |
| Glastonbury | Pam Eudowe | Glastonbury Partners in Planting, Inc: Invasive Plant Walk in a public park in Glastonbury. Walk included bittersweet, multiflora rose, Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard and a few others. Walk showed what GPIP cleared of invasive plants several years ago of and how it looks now. (6/11) | 12 | 90 |
| Greenwich | Diana Klingner | Greenwich Point Park: Removal of Wisteria, Porcelain Berry, Mile a Minute and Bittersweet (December through March). Garlic mustard removal from dunes (April). Removal of Mile a minute and Mugwort (Summer). Removal of Autumn Clematis (October). | 200 | 1000 |
| Hamden | Kathy Connolly | Participation in Plant Science Day. | 1 | 4 |
| Hamden | Lydia Pan | Plant Science Day, CIPWG Information Exhibit (#61). A broad range of CIPWG handouts were provided, including the 2021 Invasive Plant List, Invasive Management Calendar, Individual Species Factsheets, Invasive Plants in Your Backyard (CRCCD booklet, 2020 ed). (8/3) | 911 | 76 |
| Hamden | Rose Hiskes | Hamden Earth Day Celebration. CIPWG posters were displayed. Many people stopped by to talk. Handouts were given on disposal of terrestrial invasives, Japanese knotweed, Japanese barberry, the Invasive plant list, native alternatives list. | 50 | 7 |
| Hamden | Thomas Stavovy | Invasive plants are removed from the homeowner’s property as they are found, especially Norway Maple, English Ivy, Winged Euonymus, and Japanese Barberry. | 2 | 10 |
| Hampton | Marcia Kilpatrick | Conservation Commission meetings, publicity for cutting date, posters. Knotweed cutting 3 times in the year at 3 sites. (June, August, September) | 8 | 100 |
| Hampton | Steve Broderick and Lisa Wahle | Blue Flag Meadow, an Eastern CT Forest Landowners & Wolf Den Land Trust Property, The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor: Walktober hike to review work undertaken at since 2018 to learn about cooperative management program called Young Forest Initiative, sponsored by NRCS and the Wildlife Management Institute. The program included tour of 9-acre timber harvest to regenerate young forest and a significant invasive plant control effort as part of the work undertaken at Blue Flag Meadow. | 30 | 32 |
| Hartford | Linda Nielson, Kathy Beaty, Jim Woodworth, Dolores Luciano, Bill Marshall, Katherine Goss, Rachel and Rose Hiskes | Connecticut Flower and Garden Show: CIPWG booth was staffed by Linda Nielson, Kathy Beaty, Jim Woodworth, Dolores Luciano, Bill Marshall, Katherine Goss, Rachel and Rose Hiskes. Many questions from the public were answered and fact sheets were handed out. (2/27) | 80 | 20 |
| Hebron | Lydia Pan | Raymond Brook Preserve Invasives Walk, Talk and Cut. Focus on ID, discussion of control methods, followed by work session to apply learnings. Handouts included factsheets for the following 7 species: Japanese barberry, winged Euonymus, multiflora rose, Oriental bittersweet, Japanese honeysuckle, mugwort, garlic mustard, plus the CIPWG Top Ten Invasive Management Calendar. (4/24) | 17 | 58 |
| Lakewood, CO | Julie Jirikowic | Discussions and management of invasives. | 3 | 12 |
| Ledyard | Alyssa Siegel-Miles | Invasive Plant Management on private property – bittersweet, multiflora rose, Japanese honeysuckle and others. (All season) | 2 | 100 |
| Ledyard | Jessica Buhle | Ledyard Conservation Commission: Cut bittersweet on town property/natural area from tree canopy. (May) | 11 | 25 |
| Lyme | Diana Fiske | Cutting and removal of Japanese knotweed at S bank of Whalebone Creek. | 4 | 30 |
| Lyme | Humphrey Tyler | Scouting, pulling, and removal of water chestnut in Whalebone Cove, Selden Cove, and Selden Creek. | 20 | 100 |
| Lyme | H. Tyler and M.
Meldahl |
Scouting for Hydrilla in Whalebone Cove, Selden Cove, and Selden Creek | 2 | 3 |
| Lyme | Peter Picone | 2 Educational walks-Meadow walks to educate about invasive control as part of habitat enhancement. | 20 | 40 |
| Lyme | Scott Yeomans | Professional brush cut of 3 acres of barberry. | 1 | 8 |
| Lyme | Wendolyn Hill | Invasive control on about 2 acres: pull out barberry that had been cut the last 2 years. Removal other invasives, such as stiltgrass, winged Euonymus, and multiflora rose. | 1 | 8 |
| Lyme | Wendolyn Hill | Invasive control: Professional treatment of about 6 acres of mugwort with herbicide – 3 times this season. | 1 | 20 |
| Lyme | Wendolyn Hill | Nix the Knotweed work party: Cut knotweed 3 times. (May, July, August) | 12 | 72 |
| Lyme | Wendolyn Hill | Work party – Removal of purple loosestrife. Pulled out roots if possible or cut. | 2 | 8 |
| Lyme | Wendolyn Hill | Pulled out spotted knapweed. | 1 | 4 |
| Manchester | Frank Belknap | Consultation with DEEP about management of a new property. Management of a 5-acre field contracted with local entity. Educational emails sent to Board members about Invasives. Discussions with volunteers. Jane Seymour presented at the Manchester Land Conservation Trust Board meeting. | 12 | 20 |
| Middlefield and Middletown | Jen Huddleston and Marilyn Keurajian | Rockfall Foundation invasive plant removals from the Rockfall Forest. Removal of Euonymus, privet, barberry, multiflora rose, Japanese honeysuckle, garlic mustard, Autumn olive, and bittersweet. Removal of jumping worms when they appear. “Point of plant” signs encourage engagement from hikers. Information made available electronically. | 30 | 250 |
| Middletown | Kathy Meyering | Removal of Japanese stiltgrass at the Wadsworth Mansion vernal pool site. Installation of cardboard barrier and mulch over the cleared areas. (11/22) | 10 | 30 |
| Newtown | Laura Ferrera | Newtown Forest: Wrenched out (uprooted) one dozen Euonymus. | 1 | 2 |
| Newtown | Lisa Brodlie | Invasive Removal with CIPWG. | 21 | 86 |
| New Canaan | Laura Ferrera | Wrenched out (uprooted) 45 3-6 feet tall euonymus, 15+ 6-8 feet tall, and perfected technique for removing 10-14 feet tall specimens (root lopping + root wrenching). | 1 | 40 |
| New London | Julie Jirikowic | Native Plant Collection at Connecticut College. | 10 | 20 |
| New London, Tolland, Stamford, Torrington | Gail Reynolds | Natives/Non-natives/Invasives virtual lecture for the Master Gardener Program. CIPWG links are provided in the presentation. | 226 | 904 |
| New Milford | Alexandra Thomas | Removal of Japanese Knotweed. (November) | 2 | 10 |
| New Milford | Kathleen Nelson | MAM control on Northwest Connecticut Land Trust property on Carlson Road in New Milford. (7/21, 8/18, 9/16, and 10/2) | 8 | 12 |
| New Milford | Kathleen Nelson | Invasive identification walk sponsored by New Milford Park and Recreation Department. (4/23) | 12 | 24 |
| New Milford | Rose Hiskes | Invasive Plant Walk and Talk. (10/22) | 40 | 75 |
| New Milford | Two bittersweet control days at Native Meadows Preserve in New Milford in late winter. | 12 | 48 | |
| New Milford, Sherman, Bridgewater | Sissy S. Aron | Invasive Plant Management: hours every month volunteering to eradicate invasive plants | 1 | 30 |
| Norwalk | Mary Verel | Nursery Street, Norwalk Land Trust property:
Trash pickup and invasive bittersweet and burning bush removal. (March) |
6 | 15 |
| Norwalk | Mary Verel | Farm Creek Norwalk Land Trust Preserve: Brien McMahon high school students worked to remove Phragmites. (October) | 30 | 120 |
| Norwalk | Nancy McClelland | Restoring The Gardens of Oyster
Shell Park: Removal of invasive knotweed, phragmites and bittersweet by digging. Replanting of areas with native plants. Installation of Pollinator Pathway areas throughout the site. |
10 | 5790 |
| Norwich | Victoria Wallace, Alyssa Siegel-Miles | Preparation of educational materials, invasive plant control and ID fact sheets. (Throughout year) | 4 | 200 |
| Norwich | Victoria Wallace, Alyssa Siegel-Miles | Provided information to professionals and homeowners on identification and control of invasives. (Throughout year) | 2 | 50 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | “Barberry Brigade,” cutting and dropping barberry on 11-acre site at Preserve State Forest. (1/8, 2/12, 3/13, 4/10) | 32 | 70 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | Conduct invasive plant removal at The Preserve. (12/4) | 11 | 27.5 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | Research and submit grant request for invasive plant mgt at The Preserve State Forest for 2023 | 8 | 24 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | Presentation: “3 Ways to Fight Invasive Plants: Reclaim Your Home and Neighborhood Landscape” (6/18) | 1 | 20 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | Publicize and manage barberry cutting at Preserve State Forest for 12/3. | 1 | 2 |
| Old Saybrook | Lynette Wacker | Meeting regarding town’s invasive plant management strategy. | 7 | 14 |
| Old Saybrook, Old Lyme | Kathy Connolly | Research biochar production as a means of eliminating invasive plant waste from municipal waste stream. Meeting with both Old Saybrook and Old Lyme waste management boards, along with Suzanne Thompson. Meeting with both First Selectmen. (January through March) | 2 | 15 |
| Plainfield | Todd Mervosh | Presentation and discussion at the Connecticut Rose Society annual meeting: “Invasive Plants – Identification & Management of Key Species.” (3/6) | 31 | 31 |
| Pomfret, Hampton | Andy Rzeznikiewicz | Invasive plant management in Pomfret Center and Hampton. (April through October) | 1 | 30 |
| Pomfret, Hampton, Woodstock | Andy Rzeznikiewicz | Spraying spotted knapweed, mugwort, tansy, multiflora rose, bittersweet, autumn olive, porcelain berry, swallow-wort. Cutting and painting stumps of burning bush and bittersweet. Uprooting with tractor bucket: autumn olive, common buckthorn, porcelain berry, bittersweet, and multiflora rose. (throughout year) | 1 | 100 |
| Quaker Hill | Linda E. Sargent | Invasive plant control and removal. In order of the greatest volume of biomass: Euonymus, cat briar, bittersweet, multiflora rose, garlic mustard, privet, others. Planting in of some natives has begun including ferns, pussy willow, elderberry. | 2 | 144 |
| Redding | Tim Farrow | Trimming back and removing roots of Japanese Barberry and winged Euonymus. (March through October) | 1 | 30 |
| Ridgefield | Kitsey Snow | Community Presentation: Presented a proposal to the Board of Selectmen to request that the BOS vote to put in place a policy that would require only native plantings on town-owned properties. It would also encourage the removal of invasive plants. (February) | 30 | 50 |
| Ridgefield | Laura Ferrera | Aldrich Park: Wrenched out (uprooted) hundreds of 3-6 feet tall Euonymus alatus (just beyond hand-pull size) and some barberry. | 1 | 12 |
| Ridgefield | Roberta Barbieri | Members of Ridgefield Conservation Commission met at one an open space preserves, McKeon Farm, to cut bittersweet vines, Japanese barberry and privet. (4/10) | 4 | 8 |
| Ridgefield | Roberta Barbieri | Numerous site events throughout the season (June through October) to physically remove invasives, primarily Asiatic bittersweet, multiflora rose, European privet, and Japanese barberry from three locations in Ridgefield: McKeon Farm open space preserve, Aldrich Park, and Woodcock Nature Center. | 12 | 50 |
| Roxbury | Kathleen Nelson | MAM control on Dorothy Diebold Road, Roxbury Land Trust. Inspection of all field edges late in the season and known spots checked. (8/3, 8/25, 9/21, 9/30, 10/20) | 17 | 49 |
| Roxbury | Kathleen Nelson | MAM control at Roxbury Land Trust along the Shepaug River: Newly reported population, dense, maybe 150 ft in diameter. (7/17, 8/25, 9/21, 10/2) | 11 | 17 |
| Sherman | Jim Arrigoni and S. Martin | Deer Pond Farm, Connecticut Audubon Society, 2 staff, 3 contractors, 2 volunteers: Uprooted & disposed of Garlic Mustard; Commercial pre-emergent applied – Japanese Stiltgrass. (April) | 7 | 50 |
| Sherman | Jim Arrigoni and S. Martin | Deer Pond Farm, Connecticut Audubon Society, 2 staff, 2 contractors, 5 volunteers: Uprooted and disposed of Garlic Mustard; Foliar spray Mugwort, Black Swallow-wort, Multiflora Rose & Canada Thistle; Foliar spray and cut Burning Bush; Uprooted and disposed of Japanese Knotweed, Foliar spray Jap. Knotweed. (May) | 9 | 40 |
| Sherman | Jim Arrigoni and C. Hagadorn | Deer Pond Farm, Connecticut Audubon Society, 2 staff, 3 vendors, 3 volunteers: Uprooted and disposed of Garlic Mustard & Mugwort; Cut back and (when possible) uprooted Multiflora Rose, Oriental Bittersweet, Garlic Mustard, and Canada Thistle; Cut & paint saplings of Tree-of-Heaven; Hand-pulled Japanese Hops; Foliar spray Mugwort, Black Swallow-wort, Phragmites, Tree-of-heaven sprouts, and Knotweed. (June) | 8 | 56 |
| Sherman and Pawling, NY | Jim Arrigoni and S. Martin | Deer Pond Farm, Connecticut Audubon Society, 2 staff, 2 vendors, 2 contractors, 4 volunteers: Hand-pulled & bagged Canada Thistle; Cut back and (when possible) uprooted Multiflora Rose, Oriental Bittersweet, Japanese Barberry, Garlic Mustard, and Canada Thistle; Weed whacked Mugwort; Cut & paint Oriental Bittersweet; Foliar spray Black Swallow-wort. (July) | 10 | 51 |
| Sherman and Pawling, NY | Jim Arrigoni and S. Martin | Deer Pond Farm, Connecticut Audubon Society, 2 staff, 3 vendors, 5 volunteers: Foliar spray Mugwort, Stiltgrass, Japanese Knotweed, and Phragmites; Weed whack Mugwort and Stiltgrass; Hand-pulled & bagged Canada Thistle; Cut back and (when possible) uproot Multiflora Rose, Oriental Bittersweet, Japanese Barberry, Burning Bush, Japanese Knotweed, Black Locust, & Japanese Hops; Foliar spray Black Swallow- wort and hand-pulled and bagged vines with seed pods; Cut & paint Burning Bush; Hand-pulled Purple Loosestrife; Cut & paint sprouts & saplings of Black Locust. (August) | 10 | 178 |
| Sherman and Pawling, NY | Jim Arrigoni and S. Martin | Deer Pond Farm, Connecticut Audubon Society, 2 staff, 4 contractors, 3 volunteers: Cut & paint saplings of Black Locust and Tree-of-Heaven; Hand-pulled & bagged Stiltgrass; Cut back and (when possible) uprooted Multiflora Rose, Oriental Bittersweet, Japanese Knotweed, and Japanese Barberry; Foliar spray Black Swallow-wort. (September) | 9 | 74 |
| Sherman | Jim Arrigoni and S. Martin | Deer Pond Farm, Connecticut Audubon Society, 2 staff, 4 contractors, 3 volunteers: Cut & paint saplings of Black Locust; Hand-pulled & bagged Stiltgrass; Cut back and (when possible) uprooted Multiflora Rose, Oriental Bittersweet, Japanese Knotweed, Japanese Barberry; Foliar spray sprouts of Tree-of-Heaven; Cut & paint saplings of Tree-of-Heaven; Foliar spray Black Swallow- wort. (October) | 9 | 76 |
| Sherman | Jim Arrigoni | Deer Pond Farm, Connecticut Audubon Society, 2 staff, 1 contractor, 4 volunteers: Cut and paint Oriental Bittersweet, Burning Bush, Multiflora Rose, Autumn olive, and Japanese Barberry. Hand pull Burning Bush sprouts. (November) | 7 | 25 |
| Southington | Kathryn Hanlon | Displayed invasive plant examples at Master Gardener Booth at Southington Farm Market (2 Master Gardeners, four markets: 7/1, 7/8, 7/29, 8/12). | 122 | 36 |
| Southington | Kathryn Hanlon | Presented online program through Southington Public Library entitled “Put Some Life in Your Landscape.” The focus of the presentation was on shrinking lawns, planting native, and removing invasives. The presentation included invasive plant ID and references were provided, including referral to CIPWG site on how to remove invasives from one’s property and how to replace with native plants. (5/4) | 25 | 29 |
| Southington | Val Guarino | The Southington Land Conservation Trust began the removal of 105 invasive Autumn Olive trees from an approximate 3-acre field located on the 30-acre Niles and Linnea Johnson Family Wildlife Sanctuary. This is the first phase of restoring this field as wildlife habitat. (3/26) | 8 | 16 |
| Southington | Val Guarino | Cutting and stacking over 100 Autumn Olives in preparation for chipping. (March, April) | 8 | 38 |
| South Windsor | Bill Marshall | Nowashe Village Open House at Wood Memorial Library & Museum: approx. 90 visited the Invasive Plant educational display. Invasive plant booth and discussion with interested individuals. (8/13) | 2 | 12 |
| South Windsor | Bill Marshall | South Windsor Invasive Plant Working Group (SWIPWG): Educated 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, construction a bridge across Plum Gully brook (Eagle Scout project) and planting of more native blueberry and winterberry bushes (Girl Scouts). (4/2, 5/14, 6/4, 7/10, 8/6, 9/3, 10/8, 11/5, 12/10) | 95 | 280 |
| Stamford | Dianne Farley | Pollinator Pathway, Master Gardeners and Stamford Garden Club joined forces to start eliminating Japanese knotweed, multiflora rose, oriental bittersweet and others from Chestnut Hill Park in North Stamford. Five inches of top soil was laid down. Several native species were planted with mulch on top. (April through October). | 5 | 20 |
| Stamford | Vincent Piselli | Mill River Park: Conservation habitat restoration programs offered regularly year-round. | 500 | 2000 |
| Trumbull | Pam Roman | Presentation on background invasive control. (4/8) | 208 | 208 |
| Trumbull | Pam Roman | Aspetuck Land Trust Lunch-n-Learn series presentation: “From Invasive to Native” (4/8) | 242 | 242 |
| Wallingford | Emily Picard | Invasive plant grant writing. | 4 | 12 |
| Wallingford | Emily Picard | Invasive management in school’s land lab. | 41 | 115 |
| Wallingford | Emily Picard | Water chestnut removal. | 73 | 272 |
| West Hartford | Ted Goerner | Spicebush Swamp Park: Removal of oriental bittersweet, multiflora rose, and buckthorn. Collaborative effort between West Hartford Tree Project, WeHa Garden Club, Public Works, and Leisure Services. CIPWG handouts were provided. (3/26) | 30 | 100 |
| West Hartford | Madeleine Hexter | Removal of bittersweet, multi flora rose, & buckthorn. (3/26) | 10 | 30 |
| Weston | Lisa Brodlie | Planning removal of invasives on town farm land. Planning sessions included town conservation officer due to the presence of invasive in wetland areas. (2/11, 3/1, 3/8) | 3 | 12 |
| Weston | Lisa Brodlie | Removal of invasives on town farm property with adults & students from local high school. Removal of invasives on high school property, teaching students about invasives & subsequently removing a variety of invasive plants with science teacher and students. (3/20, 3/27, 4/2) | 23 | 78 |
| Weston | Lisa Brodlie | Earth day event at Weston Town Farm. Three presenters described invasives and removal projects being completed on the Town Farm property. Q & A from audience. Guided walk to show areas of work. (3/23) | 20 | 20 |
| Weston | Lisa Brodlie | Invasive removal education & work days through community service for 11 Weston High School Students on the Lachat Farm, a Town of Weston property. Sarah & Hutchison & Lisa Brodlie led the group in learning about invasives, removing those invasives & replanting native shrubs in the disturbed areas after removal. (5/16, 5/17, 5/23, 5/24) | 11 | 134 |
| Weston | Lisa Brodlie | Members from the invasive removal team, Pulling Together, along with the Town of Weston Conservation Officer, the Manager of TNC property who own half of the Town Farm, and a representative from the Town Farm, walked and talked about various invasive removal projects, determined where they would need Conservation Commission approval for wetlands work, as well as how to protect the pond area from interference by any visitors to the property and at the disposal area of the invasive material. (5/9) | 5 | 10 |
| Weston | Lisa Brodlie | The Weston High School science class of teacher Mike Aikenhead worked closely with Sarah Hutchison & Lisa Brodlie to teach about invasives and their effect on nature, learning to identify those invasives, and removing and disposing of the invasives properly. This event took place on the land behind Weston High School and was part of the class day. Students received credit for this work. (10/13, 10/19) | 13 | 43 |
| Wilton | Laura Ferrera | Land Trust properties: Wrenched out several dozen 6-8 feet tall Euonymus, and some wineberry. | 1 | 10 |
| Wilton | Laura Ferrera | Woodcock Nature Preserve: Lopped, chopped and wrenched out (uprooted) 40+ Multiflora crowns, some olive, Euonymus, Bittersweet. | 1 | 45 |
| Wilton | Joe Bear | Eradicating 3/4 acre of mugwort in Wilton’s Allen’s Meadow and replacing/restoring it with a native pollinator meadow; using occultation (tarping) | 3 | 250 |
| Windsor | Brad Robinson | Zoom presentation on invasives in community. (April) | 8 | 10 |
| Windsor | Brad Robinson | Plant walk along Connecticut River. (May) | 3 | 4 |
| Woodbridge | Julie Jirikowic | Massaro farm invasive removal. | 5 | 60 |
| Woodbridge | Andy Denzig | Removing invasives from Oak Hill Lane to the Fitzgerald Tract Blue Trail. | 12 | 48 |
| Woodbridge | Julie Jirikowic | Discussions and management of invasives on local trails. | 1 | 20 |
| Statewide | Charlotte Pyle | Put links/files/text together for CIPWG website (post-symposium). | 1 | 3 |
| Statewide | Emmett Varricchio, Victoria Wallace, Rose Hiskes | CIPWG biennial invasive plant symposium. “Strategies for Managing Invasive Plants: Assess, Remove, Replace, and Restore.” 14 planning meetings, preparation, planning, implementation of symposium; viewing and teaching of program. | 420 | 3700 |
| Statewide | Julie Jirikowic | Invasives Panel Discussion. (3/31) | 1 | 1.5 |
| Statewide | Kathy Connolly | Write and Record CIPWG Symposium talk and handout | 1 | 7 |
| Statewide | Kathleen Nelson | Lecture and handouts at CIPWG symposium (11/3) | 1 | 1 |
| Media: | ||||
| New Milford | Kathleen Nelson | Messages sent to the Town Road Foremen for announcements to present in the daily briefing to road crews on invasives that are particularly noticeable: six announcements between 4/14 and 6/6, starting with 4/14 (“any shrubs with new leaves this month are probably not native”) and ending on 6/6 with multiflora rose in flower. | 1 | 20 |
| Newtown | Alissa Silber | Article about the 2022 CIPWG symposium was published in The Newtown Bee’s November 18 print edition. | 500 | 50 |
| Old Saybrook | Kathy Connolly | Interview and write article about Bernd Blossey for The Day community media from Stonington to East Haven | 2000 | 205 |
| Online | Julie Jirikowic | 2022 Invasive Plant Management Certification from UMass | 1 | 24 |
| South Windsor | Bill Marshall | CIPWG “Connecticut Invasive Plant Management Calendar” and “Invasive Plants in Your Backyard” booklets were distributed at Nowashe Village Open House and are provided to SWIPWG volunteers. | 185 | 93 |
| Statewide | Will Rowlands | Article in Connecticut Gardener magazine, Vol 28, No.1, pg. 22-23 “Phragmites: Connecticut’s Cryptic Invader” Includes sidebar with CIPWG website (March/April) | 2000 | 200 |
| Statewide | Will Rowlands | Article in Connecticut Gardener magazine, June 2022 issue, pg. 18-19 “Invasive Honeysuckles” | 1500 | 156 |
| Statewide | Will Rowlands | Article in Connecticut Gardener, Sept/Oct 2022 issue, pg. 20-21 “Callery Pear” | 1500 | 156 |
| TOTAL (direct): | 5,106 | 21,316.5 | ||
| TOTAL (indirect): | 7,687 | 904 |
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 2022