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| Asian Bush Honeysuckle | Multiflora Rose |
A silent enemy is creeping across the landscape in Indiana. Invasive plants are spreading like wildfire and jeopardizing the natural habitat for trees, wildlife, pollinators and our human population. An invasive plant is one that has the ability to thrive and spread outside its natural range. Experts estimate the economic damage caused by invasive plants and insects to exceed 130 billion dollars annually.
Most invasives have been brought to the United States from other countries because people thought they would serve special purposes. An example is Asian Bush Honeysuckle brought from Southeast Asia to provide wildlife food and for landscaping uses. Another is the highly invasive multiflora rose, originally brought to the US as rootstock for grafting hybrid roses. These plants do not have natural predators and as they thrive and spread they smother out and otherwise reduce the ability of our native plants to reproduce and grow. Some even secrete chemicals that kill other plants and ensure their continued existence.
Organizations called Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMA) are being formed across the US to tackle the spread of invasive plants. Three multi-county Resource Conservation and Development Councils in Central and Western Indiana are leading an effort to form such an organization in about 25 counties. CWMA’s are formed by all kinds of local groups, governments, agencies and individuals working together through agreements to tackle this spreading problem. These groups provide education about plant identification, damages and control methods. Many conduct workshops and field days to meet these objectives. Invasive plant control happens when local communities and landowners learn to identify the plants and how to control them. Over 50 plants in Indiana have been identified as being invasive or of special concern. Many are still available for sale at nurseries and garden centers.
Five regional meetings are being held in February and March to inform local citizens about the invasive plant problem in our area and to explain the workings of a Cooperative Weed Management Area. Anyone is invited to attend any of the meetings. Dates, times and locations are:
| Feb 9 | 7:00 PM | Martinsville – Morgan County Administration Building 180 South Main Street |
| Feb 17 | 1:00 PM | Lafayette– Tippecanoe County Extension Office 3150 Sagamore Parkway South |
| Feb 23 | 7:00 PM | Terre Haute – Fowler Park Barn 3000 East Oregon Church Road |
| Feb 24 | 6:45 PM | Indianapolis – Franklin Road Branch Library 5550 South Franklin Road. |
| Mar 3 | 1:00 PM | Noblesville – Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds 2003 Pleasant Street |
Contact us today at 765-474-9992, Ext. 3 or visit www.tippecanoecountyswcd.org for more information about invasive plants and what you can do to help!
