Wildflowers Return to Gowing's Swamp

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Flowers at Gowing's Swamp-August 2022. Photo by SVT Staff.
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Bee Balm and Ironweed at Gowing's Swamp, August 2022
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Ironweed and Joe Pye Weed at Gowing's Swamp, August 2022
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Hummingbird at Gowing's Swamp August 2022 (cropped)

Our long-term effort to restore pollinator habitat at Gowing's Swamp in Concord is showing great success!

A solid block of Japanese knotweed has been converted into a colorful meadow of wildflowers and other native plants.  The knotweed was initially treated with an herbicide and dead knotweed material was removed.  We seeded the area with a native seed mix and it has been growing and thriving ever since.

During a recent visit, Director of Stewardship Laura Mattei snapped several photos (see above), which show that goldenrod, bee balm and heliopsis (false sunflower) are now flowering in the field.  Other wildflowers blooming include boneset, joe pye weed, ironweed, white vervain, black-eyed Susan, and several types of goldenrods.

Read more about this conservation effort.