Contributed by E. Dianne Campbell
It’s always nice to welcome a new neighbor. Actually, not so long ago, many of us were the new neighbor that was welcomed. Fluvanna County population continues to grow noticeably.
Sometimes, though, along with the furniture and family treasures, folks bring along their favorite plant from back home. And that could be the beginning of a serious problem.
Many new residents say they chose to relocate to Fluvanna County because they appreciate the natural ambience of trees and fields along the winding hilly roads. But introducing new plant species, even in backyard gardens, can have a negative impact on the environment that attracted people here in the first place.
Non-native species can cause considerable damage to the Fluvanna ecosystem. They can spread quickly from the backyard to invade and overtake native vegetation on roadsides, streams, fields and forests. This interruption not only displaces the natural balance, it can also become a serious economic threat to the agricultural base of this area.
With this in mind, the Fluvanna Master Gardeners are hosting an informative event at the Fluvanna Public Library Saturday, April 12, from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
“Invasive Plants in your Landscape and What You Can Do” will be discussed by Lauren Taylor, executive eirector of the Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM), Virginia’s first Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA).
Taylor’s involvement with invasive plants began when she was a volunteer to create the Patagonia National Park, one of the largest grasslands restoration projects in the world. She now works with organizations to remove invasives on both public and private lands, and she has built a web app that can be used for field identification of the 103 plants on the Virginia Invasive Species List.
The program which is free and open to the public will look at how to identify invasive species in the lawn, garden, and neighborhood and how to remove and control them. Gardeners and hikers will find the information pertinent to their interests.
