A thought on invasives…

Speak to anyone in the environmental or agricultural field and they’ll certainly have position on invasive species in their eco-region. Invasive plants pose a problem because they choke out native species, both plants and animals. There are two ways to approach the problem of invasives, in my mind. The first is learning to work with them. Of course this doesn’t solve the issue of the things we have now suffering at the expense of integrating invasives into the landscape, but landscapes change and with that there is inherent loss. The second approach is to remove and replace with natives. The difficulty here is invasives continue to encroach on land if not properly managered. Sourcing native plants can be a daunting task as seeds are not always available for plants that have been choked out to the point of being endangered or extinct. Also, invasives are usually prevalent for a reason. Like many weeds, they could be doing something underground, fixing the soil, in a way we cannot see on the surface. Perhaps they were originally brought to the land for aesthetic or functional purposes. This can occur as a response to landscape regeneration efforts or re-purposing land that has been decimated by farming practices or environmental disasters.

What can you do? Whatever approach you take, research the plants you want to use. Are they native? If not, is there an alternative that is native? What benefits are you looking for and what is the best plant to use with the least negative impact on the greater ecosystem?

Need help? Reach out to me and we can work together to solve this problem in a way that meets your needs and doesn’t harm your landscape in the long run. My experience with this type of research and connections to environmental conservation groups will aid in our mission of landscapes that represent and encourage native growth to benefit you and the environment at once!