What can we do?
Document invasions
It is important to document the spread of invasive exotic plants into natural areas. This allows for infestation management. When invaders are found outside of landscape plantings, they should be recorded and voucher specimens should be collected for donation to a herbarium.
- Join Dr. Julie Reynolds of Duke University in her "Citizen Science" program that will monitor the distribution of invasive plant species at the Eno River State Park. For more check http://www.science-writing.org/citizenscience.html
Reduce invasions
To reduce invasive plant invasions, we must approach the problem in a variety of ways:
- stop planting them,
- prevent accidental introductions,
- manage existing infestations,
- minimize disturbance to forests, wetlands, and other natural communities,
- and learn to work with (rather than against) natural systems and cycles.
