Did you know that February 26-March 3, 2024 is National Invasive Species Awareness Week? Well, now you’re aware!
According to Raven Invasive Plant Management, a company that has performed multiple days of work at Silvermont removing invasive species:
Invasive species impact everyone and destroy nature. They cause harm to our economy, environment, human and planetary health. They limit land and water use, make our forests more susceptible to fire and threaten endangered species. It’s estimated they cost the US $120 billion annually, and non-monetary losses to biodiversity and precious resources are immeasurable. This is a great time to join in learning about and raising awareness of the problems and focusing on solutions.
A recent inventory of plants at Silvermont identified at least 15 species of invasive non-native understory ornamentals, trees, ground cover, and vines growing wild on the grounds. Over the years, Friends of Silvermont volunteers have battled back, and Carrie Blair and Transylvania County have funded larger-scale efforts.
One way to observe NISAW is to come to our monthly deadfall and park clean-up day, next scheduled for Saturday, March 2 from 10 am-noon. While our cleanup tasks vary from month to month, we often have some folks working on removing English ivy and other non-native invasives. If you can join us this Saturday, bring your favorite gardening tools and meet in the parking lot at 10 am.
For more information about invasive species, Raven recommends checking out the NISAW website, the website for the North American Invasive Species Management Association, and Raven’s website and Facebook pages. For a list of invasive species in our state, check out the North Carolina Extension Service’s list in the North Carolina Extension Gardener’s Plant Toolbox.
