By Emma Righter, Scarborough Land Trust
At Pleasant Hill Preserve, Stewardship Director Sami Woolf and invasive species remediation planner Nate Hjort are testing a new invasive mitigation technique for Japanese Knotweed. Knotweed is an invasive species that is native to Eastern Asia and is considered severely invasive in the state of Maine.
Knotweed is increasing at Pleasant Hill Preserve and is taxing for our stewardship team to continuously cut. The new experiment that uses a metal mesh will hopefully limit the time spent cutting new growth.
The technique starts with cutting the knotweed to the ground and placing a 0.5-inch metal mesh on top of the pruned plant. The mesh girdles the knotweed, causing it to become stressed, which slows its growth.
This technique is in an experimental phase but has shown positive results. If you would like to learn more about Japanese knotweed, stop by our office for information materials on invasive species and remediation practices.
New Marsh Scientist
Scarborough Land Trust (SLT) welcomes Therese Lamperty, our new Marsh Scientist and Restoration Director. Therese has extensive experience in ecological research and conservation and holds a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Rice University. Before joining SLT, Therese worked in the Ecuadorian Amazon as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. She studied the impacts of hunting and unsustainable resource extraction on tropical habitats. Therese is excited to investigate the Scarborough Marsh – one of the most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystems!
Author Visit – Join Us!
On Tuesday, October 28, Scarborough Land Trust will host author Carolyn Sutton at Print Bookstore in Portland. Carolyn’s new book, Eyes in the Soles of My Feet, is a collection of essays that feature a different musing about nature, oftentimes inspired by her inquisitive granddaughter. Sutton makes careful observations about her interactions with the everyday species she encounters in her hometown on the coast in New Jersey, and ruminates on some far from her home, like the invasive python in the Florida Everglades. Join us!
Shop the SLT Nature Store
SLT’s Nature Store in the Oak Hill Plaza is great for gifts: nature-themed art, books, toys, cards, puzzles, and more. Enjoy 10% off with this coupon:
