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

'Tis the season ... to remove buckthorn?

by Alex Roth

update

December 16, 2019

As the snow begins to fall, you'll notice some buckthorn leaves remain green. Find out about the benefits of late-fall and winter removal of this invasive plant. Read more

FMR ecologist makes the cover of Science for earthworm research

by Ellie Rogers

update

November 2, 2019

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. >>

Collect them all: Invasive species identification cards

by Ellie Rogers

update

October 8, 2019

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. >>

FMR's ecologists investigate how to suppress buckthorn

by Betsy Daub

update

September 5, 2019

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? >>

Ecological restoration: A practice in patience

by Alex Roth

update

August 18, 2019

In the world of ecological restoration, changes don't happen overnight. And sometimes, to create a thriving and diverse habitat for wildlife and for water quality, things get a little messier (or even uglier) before they get better. Read more

Art from invasives: An interview with Kim and Emily

by Ellie Rogers

article

February 26, 2019

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. >>