Invasive plants

Forests, prairies and savannas all work best when they're shared. But invasive species spread rapidly and make it hard for other plants to grow — plants that help hold soil in place, plants where birds nest, plants that make up vibrant, interconnected habitat.

Overgrowth of invasive species can cause habitat breakdown, erosion of soil into waterways, the spread of plant diseases and more. That's why we focus so much on removing invasive species and replacing them with diverse plants at our restoration sites. Join us!

Invasive plants
FMR ecologist makes the cover of Science for earthworm research

FMR ecologist Alex Roth's earthworm research made it on the cover of the highly regarded professional journal Science at the end of October, the same journal that published the human genome for the first time.  >>

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Collect them all: Invasive species identification cards

At this field season's volunteer events, we handed out invasive species collector's cards as a guide (and a thank you) for our intrepid, invasive-busting volunteers. Now that the field season is drawing to a close, we're sharing them with everybody.  >>

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FMR's ecologists investigate how to suppress buckthorn

As anyone who's joined FMR at a restoration volunteer event knows, buckthorn is particularly difficult to eradicate. This invasive plant often thwarts restoration efforts by returning to sites where it's been pulled and hauled away. What if we could find a way to suppress its regrowth?  >>

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Art from invasives: An interview with Kim and Emily

FMR volunteers Kimberly Boustead and Emily Sauer remove buckthorn, garlic mustard and more at our stewardship events. And they also use their creativity to spread awareness about how to stop the spread of invasive species. Read more about their favorite river spots, buckthorn berry ink and a new spin on the muscle tee.  >>

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Kim and Emily
What's the best way to control buckthorn and protect native plants? FMR investigates.

What pops to mind when you think of restoring a forest? Perhaps people planting trees? ...How about bobcat-like machines busily eating up small trees and spitting out the splinters?

If you'd visited Hampton Woods this spring, this is exactly the scene you would have come across. The machines were forestry mowers, consuming invasive European buckthorn.

Not only were the mowers benefiting the long-term health of the forest, but they're part of a new FMR research project to compare and contrast the effectiveness of different methods to both control buckthorn and support the growth of native plants and habitat. >>

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A native ladyslipper plant, a mowed stretch of forest, a glossy buckthorn plant and a bobcat/forestry mower
Beautiful berries 'ecological traps' for birds
Each fall, two common invasive plants produce starkly colored berries. Both have little-known consequences for birds. Read more
A photo of a northern cardinal next to a close-up of honeysuckle berries.

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