Invasive Mappers

One of the volunteer teams working to map invasives at the Desert Natural Area, L-R - Karin Paquin, Anne Marie Brostrup-Jensen and Betty Wright
SVT endeavors to maximize the biological and ecological value of its properties. In some cases this requires active habitat restoration. Designing and enacting a management plan for a successful restoration requires an initial assessment of current conditions. The cover story of our June 2009 newsletter focused on restoring biological diversity at the Desert Natural Area, 900 acres of conserved lands in Marlborough and Sudbury, and the location of SVT’s Memorial Forest. One of the important surveys that we are conducting is locating and mapping invasive plant species. 
When SVT put out a call for assistance on this project, fifteen volunteers enthusiastically responded. This group met on multiple evenings at our headquarters at Wolbach Farm for a project overview and for training that included learning to identify the more common invasives, such as oriental bittersweet, glossy buckthorn, and Japanese barberry.  Additionally, all were instructed in mapping methodology and learned how to use a GPS. The volunteers then went on site, working in teams of 2-4 people, with SVT staff performing spot checks for quality control.  Mapping focused on “disturbance corridors,” which included existing trails, a rail line and a gas pipeline.  These areas were targeted because invasive plants are known to invade along disturbed and developed areas.  Some volunteers were also assigned to “bushwhacking” locations to see if invasive plants were also found in relatively undisturbed habitat.
Volunteers helping Stewardship with this endeavor included Anne Marie Brostrup-Jensen, Doug Johnson, Karin Paquin and Betty Wright of Marlborough, Renate Hanauer, Nancy Lomas, and Julie Theroux of Framingham, Jan Hardenbergh, Aiko Pinkoski, and Kate Ruh of Sudbury, Patrice McCabe and Craig Smith of Hudson, Brian Graves of Maynard, Bill Green of Cambridge, Dylan Harrison-Atlas of Newton, Cameron Shorb of Lincoln, and Holly Estes, Groton resident and Sudbury Public School teacher.
When asked about the experience, volunteers displayed a collective enthusiasm, describing it as an opportunity to meet or reconnect with friends, learn something new, help solve a problem, and have fun in the out-of-doors. For Betty Wright this area was already of interest.  “I have been doing a Botanical Inventory for the Desert Natural Area and the Invasive Mapping compliments the Inventory and gives me a deeper understanding of the plants and their distribution within this area.  This will be very useful as I get deeper into what I am doing next year.”  Craig Smith “enjoyed the chance to get out into the field and put mapping and plant identification skills to a useful purpose.” Karin Paquin stressed the opportunity to work as a team. “It was a lot of fun to go out on the trail as a team, identify invasives and know that this is part of a longer term process to not only identify problem areas in Memorial Forest but to eventually design and execute an eradication strategy.  We learned a lot about the forest and the different habitats within the forest.  We also learned a lot about each other.  I was very fortunate to be teamed up with a botanist so there were many ‘teachable moments.’ We learned a lot about other native species on the way.  We even found a couple of relatively rare native plants!”
The primary complaint from the volunteers seemed to be that they now see the proliferation of invasive plants everywhere they go.  Aiko Pinkoski recounts, “I have learned so much about invasives and how they are all around us that I now recognize them all over the place!  I'm now trying to do some control in my own yard and also helping with a town-wide volunteer effort.” Doug Johnson bemoans “invasives are everywhere, in museum parking lots, fancy hotel entrances, trails, streams, roads, friend’s yards. It is driving me crazy!”
Fortunately complaints are a very minor part of what the volunteers expressed.  Doug Johnson also mentions, “I felt like we were really doing something useful.  SVT and specifically Laura Mattei (Director of Stewardship) are the very best in volunteer coordination, communication and recognition. The training and support for this project was, as always, excellent.” Kate Ruh, as well, stresses the satisfaction of accomplishment. “I learned a lot about invasive plants and their impact on the environment.  It was really satisfying to see the big picture and know that I contributed something to that.”
Funding for the invasive mapping projects was provided by the Hollis Declan Leverett Memorial Fund (administered by Bank of America) and the National Park Service’s River Stewardship Council.
Thanks to these willing volunteers, SVT has far exceeded its mapping goal for the year, completing the entire Memorial Forest and most of the Desert Natural Area. We have prepared maps illustrating the abundance and distribution of each invasive species.  These same volunteers have committed to completing the remainder of the mapping next season and working on removal of small, isolated populations of invasive plants.  We are most grateful to all these volunteers. This huge undertaking would never have been possible without their able and dedicated assistance.