Wiacek Mile-a-Minute Vine
Teresa Gallagher
This week I discovered a HUGE infestation of Mile-a-Minute Vine at Wiacek. This is the emerging invasive in Shelton which can grow up to 6” per day, and it produces berries that are carried about by birds. Over the past couple years I’ve had one vine occasionally pop up in the trail, but couldn’t find anything else. This year there was suddenly all kinds of it along the trail and the edges of the hayfield. These are primarily in areas where the farmer came through last fall cutting back the autumn olive and brush along the edges, pushing it back and scraping up the ground in the process, which released whatever seeds the birds had dropped there. In the last few days I’ve stuffed 13 heavy garbage bags with the vine because the berries had ripened (earlier in the season you don’t have to bag it.) Yesterday I went exploring and found a large open area on the old Maybeck property that was covered with it. There’s a larger open area according to the satellite picture that I’m pretty sure is also full of it (it’s too brushy to easily access). Definitely way more than can be pulled this year. I also found some M-A-M along the edges of the north field that I did not pull, but there wasn’t a lot because that field edge had not been cut back and there is very thick bittersweet, raspberries, grape vines, etc. that are keeping it out. Video of pulling it: https://photos.app.goo.gl/PsWmCQSyDwYrkAY99
Teresa Gallagher
Natural Resources Manager
City of Shelton
54 Hill Street, Shelton, CT 06484
