Contributed by E. Dianne Campbell
Is there a hostile green something lurking in your garden?
Find out at a seminar, “Invasive Plants in Your Landscape and What you Can Do.” The important topic will be discussed at a free program hosted by Fluvanna Master Gardeners on April 12, 3:30 to 5 p.m., at the Fluvanna Public Library.
Agriculture and viniculture are significant components of Fluvanna County’s economy and overall way of life. They can be severely damaged directly through invasive plant species, or indirectly by hosting pests that threaten destruction.
The Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) is a storehouse of information on the subject and the originator of the presentation. The organization provides education and training based on research covering the12 counties encompassing 3.6 million acres of Virginia’s first Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA). Lauren Taylor, PRISM executive director, will be the presenter.
Taylor 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. Her 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.
The April 12 seminar is meant to alert Fluvanna County residents on why to avoid the temptation to plant something simply because it is unique or attractive, learn to identify existing species which might be readily multiplying without notice, and learn which methods are most effective for halting dangerous intrusion.
The program will provide valuable information for homeowners, gardeners, hikers, nature-lovers, or anyone else who enjoys and appreciates the natural environs of Fluvanna County.
Further information on this or any other program offered by Fluvanna Master Gardeners is available on the website, www.fluvannamg.org.
