Dear EwA friends,
This week is National Invasive Species Awareness Week. It is an international event coordinated by NAISMA to raise awareness about invasive species: those that are non-native and disrupt our native ecosystems. When not monitored and managed, invasives cause economical and ecological harm.
Visit NAISMA NISAW for more information and check out webinars, events, and ways to be involved. There are a broad range of topics and although it is presented through a federal lens, there are good take-aways for those of us interested in our local ecosystems.
On that local note, our community is well-informed on the challenges presented by invasive plant species (and other species too!). Understanding and managing plant species that are invasive to our
ecosystem is integral to the success of local policies written to develop, improve, and protect our urban green spaces.
Although wintry weather is still with us, spring is just around the corner, and we will continue our endeavor to advocate for invasive plant species management in our parks, yards, and other urban green spaces by implementing the 4 R's: Record, Remove, Replant, Report. If you'd like to learn more about this, you can read this message to our Somerville community: Letter to the Community - Invasive Plant Species Management, which contains some discussion and resources.
Finally, check out this Grow Native Mass/Massachusetts Pollinator Network webinar this evening: February 24 at 7pm, Kristin O'Brien, Conservation Restriction Manager of Sudbury Valley Trustees will talk about
how to manage invasive plant species in your garden and yard. See here to learn more and to register.
Have a great week.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
-- Jennifer Clifford (she/her)
Phenology | Ecosystems | Participatory Science
