Weed Warriors Get a Little Help

In 2020, SVT launched our Weed Warrior program to teach volunteers to identify and remove non-native invasive plants from conservation areas. The program was so successful that SuAsCo CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) adopted it to train volunteers throughout the region.

Weed Warriors often work independently to remove the invasive plants that harm native habitats. Of course, many plants look alike, and even well-trained volunteers can have difficulty distinguishing an invasive species from neighboring plants. Now, thanks to high school student Sherry Ye, our volunteers will have help.

Sherry has researched numerous plants and has created a set of reference cards with data about invasive trees, shrubs, grasses, vines, and wildflowers. One side of each card lists the characteristics and removal techniques for a specific invasive and explains how the species differs from a look-alike native. The other side shows several photos of the invasive to help with plant identification.

SVT’s Kristin O’Brien has been working with Sherry to produce the cards, and the project received a $700 grant from the River Stewardship Council to cover some of the production costs. By this summer, the handy reference will be tucked into the backpacks of dozens of Weed Warriors as they set out to save our native habitats. Thanks, Sherry.