Early successional natural communities — grasslands, meadows, and shrublands — are an increasingly uncommon cover type in New England and elsewhere in the US. Read more »

Posted June 16, 2010 under Balanced Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Ecological Maintenance, Green Spaces -- Public, Invasives, Mapping, Restoration, Wildlife Habitats.

by Bruce Wenning

Many researchers and ecological restorationists have identified a constellation of traits or characteristics that better define what the term ‘invasive plant’ really means. Read more »

Posted June 16, 2010 under Invasives, Native Plants, Restoration, Seeds and Seed Dispersal, Shade.

By Ann Perry

A team of Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists has refined remote sensing tools for identifying invasive Ashe juniper shrubs and trees in central Texas and nearby regions. Read more »

Posted June 16, 2010 under Ecological Maintenance, GIS, Invasives, Mapping, Remote Sensing, Trees.

Grant Applications Invited for Invasive Plant Control — National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
The Pulling Together Initiative seeks proposals that will help control invasive plant species, mostly through the work of public/private partnerships such as Cooperative Weed Management Areas.
Pre-proposal deadline is June 30. Read the request for proposals…

Native Plant Conservation Initiative
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the 2009 Native Plant Conservation Initiative (NPCI) grants cycle. The NPCI grant program is conducted in cooperation with the Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA), funding multi-stakeholder projects that focus on the conservation of native plants and pollinators under any of the following 6 focal areas: conservation, education, restoration, research, sustainability, and data linkages. Application deadline is July 1, 2010
Read the request for proposals…

New England Groups Plot to Save Their Dwindling Woodlands
For decades, bands of volunteers and a smattering of full-time employees have worked to stem the tide of development and deforestation, identifying priority projects and working with a small pool of private funders to preserve little parcels of local forestland. See full article at nytimes.com

Posted June 16, 2010 under Grants and Fundraising, Invasives, Native Plants.

As we look at Invasive Plant Species in this month’s newsletter, it’s important to keep in mind that invasive species are often exotic species brought into the landscape by people for aesthetic, agricultural, or industrial purposes. Landscapers have a responsibility, both to their clients and to the communities in which their clients live, to choose plants wisely and to guard against unintentional release of invasives that can throw off the local ecological balance. Read more »

Posted June 16, 2010 under Ecological Maintenance, Invasives, Letter From the Editor.

by Judy Eisenberg

Native plants are plants that were already growing in North America before European colonies settled here. Read more »

Posted June 16, 2010 under Invasives, Native Plants.