Honeysuckle is killing forests and ivy is helping, especially in the northeast/midwest. Kill all that shit, help stop it from spreading. And try to volunteer for local groups that are clearing invasive species. It's pretty amazing seeing a forest before and after invasive species have been removed.

  • SolidaritySplodarity [they/them]
    ·
    3 years ago

    This is one of those things that seems like an unwinnable battle under present conditions. We'd need massive campaigns to survey for thes plants and then kill only them. I've only seen efforts be successful when confined to one mountain.

    This seems like a project for a socialist state. A centrally-planned effort targeted at da youths to eliminate a plant species from a continent.

    • TankieDukakis [none/use name]
      ·
      3 years ago

      The good news is that controlled fires are very effective. Native plants are used to fires, fires are natural. Fire will burn away invasive plants.

      Sadly it's hard to do controlled fires when everything is so dry all the time.

      • SolidaritySplodarity [they/them]
        ·
        3 years ago

        My understanding is that the massive Californian wildfires are driven by invasives that dry out more easily and have shallower root networks. Like you said, difficult to control a burn in that scenario. More like you try to build a conflagration and hope everything invasive dies. Not sure if we could get people in board with that without compensation and central planning.

        • TankieDukakis [none/use name]
          ·
          3 years ago

          Yeah I don't see burns being viable in states drying out unfortunately. In Iowa it can still be used most years.

          Another option that may/may not work is surprisingly goats. Goats are not picky eaters, they eat literally everything down to the ground. And they don't need food doing it. Just make sure you rotate them and you're good to go.

          My only concern with this is that goats don't entirely destroy the plant. I'm not familiar enough with the science, but maybe the native plants grow back faster given their more established root networks? I've heard of conservationists using goats so it must work at least somewhat.