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LBW writes...
LBW wrote:
Hello,
Has the GCNJ taken an official position on invasive plants? And/or do you have any news articles on multiflora roses in particular? I did not see anything on your website and I think the problem is very serious.
Thanks,
LBW
Nancy G., Arboreta Chair wrote:
Thank you, LBW for you inquiry and to everyone else for forwarding her message. Yes, we are working on an invasives list which will be presented to the Board of GCNJ for approval along with some policy recommendations. I will have information available at District Meetings on invasive plants and our declining forests.
One of my favorite reference books is "Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas" put out by the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. My favorite website is: http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien .
My favorite project is "Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas". It is a project of the alien Plant Working Group (APWG), a subcommittee of the Plant Conservation Alliance. It is a cooperative effort intended to provide educational materials on the threat posed by invasive exotic plants to the native flora, fauna, and ecosystems of the US. The chairman is Jill Swearingen, who is an excellent speaker.
The Multiflora Rose is designated a noxious weed in several states, including Iowa, Ohio, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. It grows aggresively. Dense thickets of multiflora rose exclude most native shrubs and herbs from establishing and may be detrimental to nesting of native birds.
Best regards to all – Nancy G., Arboreta Chair
LBW wrote:
Nancy,
Thanks so much for your response and references.
We have a 4 acre homesite in Hunterdon County. The multi-flora were
planted near our land as a farmhedge about 60-70 years ago. They have since spread to every part of our property that is not in lawn - especially the woods. It's frustrating when people think of them as just another beautiful, scented rose - they're not! They have ruined the natural wooded landscape, prevented wild native plants from growing and make a simple walk in the woods an uncomfortable, thorny chore. The removal of the multi-flora is laborious - especially for us organic gardners. But the rewards are plenty. After I removed a large area in the woods two years ago, I found beautiful wild geraniums cropping up this year - in a color similar to Johnson's Blue. I also am seeing other shady perennials I still haven't identified. It's a whole new world out there!
Should you ever need photos of the multi-flora roses, just let me know.
Thanks again for your time.
Regards,
LBW
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