Invasive Insects and Their Threat to Vermont

“Like the arrow in Greek mythology that ultimately killed Achilles, these exotic invasive insects kill trees by attacking their most vulnerable parts.”

Invasive insects have become one of the most threatening forces behind rapid ecological change in not only Vermont but the whole northeast United States as a whole as well. Many of them have been introduced to the northeast U.S due to human actions such as importing and trading of foreign products without proper precautions. Nothing can express the severity of the situation as well as solutions better than the article. Invasive Insects: Achilles heel of the northern forest by Allaire Diamond.

            The article focuses on three invasive species that are beginning to move into Vermont borders attacking many native trees such as the abundant hemlock and ash. The three insects include the hemlock wooly adelgid, the emerald ash borer and the Asian longhorned beetle. Among them, the hemlock wooly agdelgid is the most dangerous for the region due not only to the abundance of hemlock in the area but also due to the fact that it’s full impacts are still unknown. The insect has been known to turn lush, dense forests of hemlock into empty plains as has been seen in many southern Appalachian forest plots. The emerald ash borer and Asian longhorn beetles tap into the cambium layer of the bark of its victims and feed on the wood. This causes the flow of nutrients and water through vascular tissue to become disconnected resulting in death of the tree. The emerald ash borer has been noted as the reason behind the extinction of the ash tree in the southern Michigan area. Out of the three insects, the hemlock wooly adelgid is the only one currently present in Vermont but the other two have been spotted as close as 30 miles from Vermont borders.


                                                          
                                                          (Hemlock Wooly Agelid)

            If any of these insects were to establish significant populations within Vermont forests, it could mean very big problems for the state of Vermont. Hemlock hardwoods are a majority species in Vermont taking the 7^th most common spot in the state. They are essential to the ecological stability of many Vermont streams and rivers because they play a crucial role in the shading of the rivers which in turn cools them allowing diverse fish and bacteria to thrive. If prominent in Vermont, the hemlock wooly agelid would not only destroy the entire population of the hemlock but would critically alter many other ecological systems. On the other hand, with the entrance of the emerald ash borer, Vermont could also begin to see some damaging economic blows. The harvesting of ash trees for the timber industry is one of Vermont’s largest incomes. With the rapid depletion of the ash, Vermont’s economy could begin to slip leaving hundreds, possibly even thousands of people out of work.


                                                      
                                                              (Emerald Ash Borer)

            The effects of any of these invasive insects can be devastating to local ecosystems but the chances of them entering and staying can be slowed down and even prevented completely. The most effective way to slow down the movement of these insects is by education of the general public. Diamond explains that most insects are spread by human purchases of firewood and nursery stock and that by buying wood locally and educating the buyers about what to look for in the wood the spread can be greatly reduced. It is suggested that one buys firewood no more than 50 miles from the home. Also by education of distinct characteristics of the three species they will be more easily recognized and hotlines are available for contact to help with the cause.


                                                          
                                                           (Asian Longhorn Beetle)

            I think that simply by reading Allaire Diamond’s article on invasive species has educated me more than I was previously. The hemlock wooly adelgid, emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle are three species that can rapidly change Vermont’s beautiful, forested landscape. Without the proper education and motivation by the public to stop these pests, we could see extreme changes to the natural ecosystems of the state. Some government agencies have begun setting 2,200 traps in hopes of trapping some of the predators but this will only help to an extent. The exile of these insects can only be stopped as a group effort. 

By: Matt Hollingsworth

Allaire, Diamond. "Invasive Insects: Achilles Heels of the Northern Forest." Vermont Land Trust. Web. 29 Mar. 2012. <http://www.vlt.org/news-publications/invasive-insects>

Common Buckthorn Information

The common buckthorn, a well known invasive species to the state of Vermont, has become an imminent threat to the landscape and ecosystems of the state. It grows very rapidly and very densely in the understory of many native trees such as oak, beech and maples; all extremely common throughout Vermont. The buckthorn is especially dangerous to ecosystems because it can disperse very wide, reproduces its seeds very rapidly and has a very high level of phenotypic plasticity allowing it to grow just about anywhere. Also, even after the plant has been cut it is known to rapidly resprout in the same spot.

Buckthorn is thought to have originated from countries in Eurasia and was shipped to North and South America to use for ornamentals. Around 1849, buckthorn was used in Wisconsin to create appealing hedgerows, hinting how it has crept into Vermont. The plant itself is a small woody shrub, varying in height but can peak at up to 20 feet of growth. The glossy green leaves of the plants can grow from 1-3 inches long and attach to slim twigs that are often tipped with short spines. Optimal growth occurs from late May all the way until the first frost and small purple berries are ripe from July to late September.

The most dangerous thing about the invasive buckthorn is its ability to rapidly grown and rapidly adapt to different environmental conditions. Due to these traits, the buckthorn grows wild once it starts, causing other small, native plants to be shaded from the sun and eventually driven to extinction. Not only does this destroy the variability of plant species, but many animal species cannot thrive in these environments without the native plant resources available. This inevitably can cause complete ecosystems to collapse.

Although a very scary invasive species, there are steps that can be taken to begin to eliminate the buckthorn. The best way to begin is to educate the public on what the plant looks like and how to identify it in the wild. With this information, an average citizen can inform the correct authorities about the potential problem. Since the plant can survive even after being cut, an herbicide, such as triclopyr, must be sprayed on it to destroy the growth cells, disabling it from growing anymore. Since chemicals are often times bad for surrounding plants as well, buckthorn has also been known to be used in weaving baskets and pot holders by stripping the bark into small strips. It is also known that certain native animals like deer and cattle occasionally like to graze on the buckthorn. In areas where it is permit able and containable, buckthorn is also burned in mass quantities.

 

By: Matt Hollingsworth

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/invasivetutorial/common_glossy_buckthorn.htm

http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/fact/buckthorn_com.htm

http://www.vlt.org/land-stewardship/invasive-species-resources

"Impact of the invasive glossy buckthorn on juvenile recruitment by canopy trees"

Article on Forest Ecology and Management, Glossy Buckthorn

This scholarly article is a case study concerning the highly invasive common buckthorn (Rhamnus Frangula) and its current known impacts on forest anatomy in the northeast United States. The common buckthorn is an invasive plant species that has been rapidly moving its way through pine forests in the northeast USA for over 20 years now. The plant is extremely shade tolerant and drought resistant, making it one of the most likely plants to dominate a forest ecosystem. In the study, the survival and growth of juvenile species of sugar maple, red maple, white ash and white pine were monitored to determine if the shading caused by excess buckthorn was causing the stunted growth or death of the seedlings. The ones performing the study, M.E Fagan and D.R Peart of Dartmouth College, hypothesized that the buckthorn would have the greatest negative effect on more shade intolerant species due to the fact that the buckthorn reduces UV radiation reaching those seedlings. By altering the production of seedlings due to buckthorn shading, it was also hypothesized that the growth of seedlings into saplings would reduce as well. This in turn causes less trees and diversity to grow full.

            The study was performed on private land of 2.5 hectares located in Signal Hill, New Hampshire for 9 years. More than 75 percent of the mature trees were white pine with smaller densities of the maple and ash seedlings. Buckthorn was seen to be at 100 percent coverage in some spots. 30 random seedlings were chosen for measurement, all ranging in shade tolerance gradient and each individual seedling was measured for annual growth and extension and radial growth. The chosen seedlings were monitored and observed as they did or did not morph into saplings.

            After the study came to a conclusion, the results were very vivid and clear. The first thing noted was the saplings trying to grow under the buckthorn had lower mean extension growth as well as lower radial growth. Although all the species differed in shade tolerance, the decrease was still very similar across the board. Saplings growing under just the pine canopy showed no significant effect on growth change. It was also noted that most saplings that sprung growth under the buckthorn showed stunted life spans by an average of 4 years. This showed the studiers that it would take 22 years for a sapling to grow 1.3 meters in height; very below the average growth rate for any of the seedlings.

            The results of the study showed that glosyy buckthorn has clearly reduced the growth of all seedlings and saplings of the maple and ash species selected. It was proven that the saplings grew much more rapidly in canopy openings away from the buckthorn where the limiting resource, sunlight, was more prominent. Although the study was done with the limiting resource as sunlight, the study claims that buckthorn is also rapidly depleting nitrogen and minerals from the soil, decreasing pH, which in turn causes diversity to slim and growth to slow. As a result, the professors drew the conclusion that with the increasing dominance of the buckthrorn in pine forests, changes in species diversity and composition rate of the forest are to rapidly change as well. The buckthorn movement needs to be constantly monitored in the pine forests of the northeast in order to plot the attack against it. 

By: Matt Hollingsworth

Fagan, M.E, and D.R Peart. Impact of the Invasiveshrubglossybuckthorn (Rhamnus Frangula L.) on Juvenilerecruitment by Canopytrees. Dartmouth College, July-Aug. 2003. Web. <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112704001367>.

Recipes Utilizing Japanese Knotweed

Applesauce-Knotweed Cake

For this recipe, you’ll need to harvest Japanese Knotweed stalks at the “wild rhubarb” stage, which typically shows up around the end of April in the Boston area.  Look for stalks about 18-24 inches long, select the fattest stalks you can (at least 3/4 inch in diameter – they’re easier to peel that way), cut at ground level, lop off the top cluster of leaves and bring the stalks home.  Once you’ve got them home, peel the very outer layer (which is stringy) off of each stalk; Japanese Knotweed stalks are hollow, though, so don’t peel too deeply or all you’ll have left is the hole.  You can eat the peeled stalks raw if you want (their tart, juicy, crunchy texture and flavor is somewhat like that of a Granny Smith apple), or just chop them up for use in the recipe below or just about any other recipe calling for rhubarb.   3 eggs

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup plain applesauce
• 4 firmly-packed cups peeled Japanese Knotweed stalk pieces (chop or knead the peeled stalks into small pieces <1” long)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease a 13” by 9” baking pan. 

Beat eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until blended.  In the meantime, mix the flour, baking soda and spices together in a separate bowl.  Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, then add the applesauce, knotweed pieces and walnuts and mix until blended. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan and spread evenly.   Bake at 350ºF for one hour, then remove from the oven and cool on a wire drying rack.  Dust the top with powdered sugar.  Serve warm or cold.  Makes 15 good-sized servings.  Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for use in the next few days or frozen for longer storage.

                                                                                    Cohen, 2008

Go Anywhere Knotweed Squares (Cohen, Janpanese Knotwood Recipes , 2008 )

You’ll need to harvest Japanese Knotweed stalks at the “wild rhubarb” stage for this recipe, which typically shows up around the first week of May in the Boston area.  Look for stalks about 18-24 inches long, select the fattest stalks you can (at least ¾ inch in diameter – they’re easier to peel that way), cut at ground level, lop off the top cluster of leaves and bring the stalks home.  Once you’ve got them home, peel the very outer layer (which is stringy) off of each stalk; Japanese Knotweed stalks are hollow, though, so don’t peel too deeply or all you’ll have left is the hole.  You can eat the peeled stalks raw if you want (their tart, juicy, crunchy texture and flavor is somewhat like that of a Granny Smith apple), or just chop them up for use in the recipe below or just about any other recipe calling for rhubarb.  

Ingredients

For bottom crust:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/3 cup butter (cold)

For filling:

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 3 firmly-packed cups peeled Japanese Knotweed stalk pieces (chop or knead the peeled stalks into small pieces <1” long)

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease an 11” by 7” by 2” baking pan.  Put crust ingredients into a food processor and pulverize until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Press into the bottom of the baking pan and bake at 350ºF for 12 minutes. 

To make the filling, place all the ingredients except the Knotweed into a bowl and mix together; then stir in the Knotweed pieces.  Pour filling mixture over the warm crust and spread evenly.  Bake at 350ºF for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into it comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cut into brownie-sized pieces and serve warm.  Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for use in the next few days or frozen for longer storage. 

                                                                                   Kraczewski, 2011

Russ Cohen’s Sour Cream Knotweed Crumb Cake (Cohen, Janpanese Knotwood Recipes , 2008 )

You’ll need to harvest Japanese Knotweed stalks at the “wild rhubarb” stage for this recipe, which typically shows up around the first week of May in the Boston area.  Look for stalks about 18-24 inches long, select the fattest stalks you can (at least ¾ inch in diameter – they’re easier to peel that way), cut at ground level, lop off the top cluster of leaves and bring the stalks home.  Once you’ve got them home, peel the very outer layer (which is stringy) off of each stalk; Japanese Knotweed stalks are hollow, though, so don’t peel too deeply or all you’ll have left is the hole.  You can eat the peeled stalks raw if you want (their tart, juicy, crunchy texture and flavor is somewhat like that of a Granny Smith apple), or just chop them up for use in the recipe below or just about any other recipe calling for rhubarb

Ingredients (For Cake)

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dairy sour cream
• 5 firmly-packed cups peeled Japanese Knotweed stalk pieces (chop or knead the peeled stalks into small pieces <1” long), tossed with 1/2 cup flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon allspice in a bowl

For topping:

• 1/2 firmly-packed cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 cup cold butter, cut up into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Grease a 13” by 9” baking pan. 

Cake: Beat sugar and butter in a in a large bowl on medium speed until blended.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy.  Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl, then add to the creamed mixture alternatively with the sour cream, mixing well.  Stir in the floured/spiced Knotweed pieces and mix well, then pour the cake batter into the baking pan and spread evenly.  

 Topping: Place brown sugar, flour and spices into a food processor and pulse until well-blended; then add the cold butter pieces and pulse until the entire topping mixture is uniformly crumbly.  Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter. 

Bake at 350ºF for 50-60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack; serve warm.  Makes 15 good-sized servings.  Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for use in the next few days or frozen for longer storage

Cohen, R. (2008 , September 5). Janpanese Knotwood Recipes . New England Wild Flower Society . http://www.newfs.org/protect/invasive-plants/specific-invasive-plants/japanese-knotweed-recipes.html/.

Cohen, R. (2011, March 15). Sanctuary Magazine: Eat Your Invasives . Mass Audubon . http://www.massaudubon.org/sanctuary/features.php?id=94.

Dutch elm disease

Dutch elm disease

Scientific Article:

Dutch elm disease has often been referenced as one of the most destructive plant diseases known to man. The disease itself is caused by the ascomycete Ophiostoma ulmi (ascomycete is a grouping of fungus of the phylum Ascomycota that are characterized by bearing sexual spores in a specialized sac) in association with a secondary vector the scolytid beetles. Together with a this particular type of elm bark beetle, the disease has infected thousands of elm trees the world over and has had serious implications for forest ecosystems far and wide.

The particular historical and geographical origins of this phenomenon are difficult to trace with any degree of certainty but it is known that the disease appeared at several locations in northwest Europe around 1918-1921. Following its initial observation, it quickly spread across Europe and overseas to North America, through the Balkans, Turkey, and Ukraine and appeared in Central Asia some twenty years later. This rapid spread was the sign of the first epidemics breaking out in the 1920s and 1930s. Research however varies greatly as to where the origins of the disease itself originated. There is evidence to support the disease’s initial origins as Himalayan, European, or Chinese. The most popular of these hypotheses is that the disease began in China and later spread into Europe. This 'China hypothesis' has been based primarily on two lines of evidence. the first being the high level of resistance to the disease that the Chinese elm species have shown when compared to species of elm in Europe and North America. This resistance suggests that the fungus (Ophiostoma ulmi) may have evolved alongside the tree, explaining the more balanced relationship that has been observed. The second of the two lines of evidence that has been used to support the China hypothesis is the high species diversity of the Chinese elm. This point suggests that China could have been the evolutionary hub and consequently the hub of some of its diseases that it is associated with.

Ophiostoma ulmi is estimated to have made it to the United States by the early 1920s. It was brought in by unknowing furniture makers who imported European elm logs for use in making veneer grade products such as cabinets and tables. It has been predicted that some of the beetle vectors of the Dutch elm disease pathogens, the scolytid beetles, had been brought into the United States from Europe, years before the fungi itself was ever introduced.

Dutch scientist Marie Beatrice Schwarz was credited with having been the first to have identified the agent that causes the disease. The disease would later come to be called Dutch Elms Disease.

Prior to any outbreaks of the disease within the United States, elm trees were commonly used as street trees and were planted widely along walkways and roads in affective monocultures. Monoculture is cited as the main reason why Dutch Elm Disease had such devastating results on the towns and cities of the United States, with an estimated 40 million American elm trees have been killed as a result of the introduction of the disease.

The Dutch Elm Disease epidemics can be used as an example to help illustrate the value of diversity in plant populations, as well as the myriad of dangers inherent in globalization and the transportation of plant materials around the world.

Efforts to eradicate the disease in the United States have been generally unsuccessful. Some common steps that can be taken to prevent rapid spread include the aforementioned avoidance of planting monocultures of elm trees, the rapid removal of any and all dead or dying tree segments that are affected, and the breakage of root grafts between elms that are growing adjacently. For these measures to make a difference, diligent monitoring and inspection are required. Chemical management options for managing the disease have also been explored but are not widely used, as the insecticides used in efforts to kill the beetle vectors of the disease are expensive and not particularly effective (in addition to the negative ecological implications of heavy chemical use). As for a long term solution to the disease, breeding programs aimed at developing disease-resistant elms have been put in place. These programs vary in their practices, with some using Asian elm species that have high resistance to Dutch elm disease and attempting to introduce these traits to native elms. Other programs have targeted native elms directly by using the select few specimens that have shown natural resistance to the disease and cloning these individuals. 

By: Sabrina Smits 

 (Sherald)

Bibliography

Brasier, C. M. (1990). China and the origins of Dutch elm disease: an appraisal. Plant Pathology , 39, 5-16.

D’Arcy, C. J. (2000). Dutch elm disease. Retrieved University of Illinois, from American Phytopathological Society: http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/fungi/ascomycetes/Pages/DutchElm.aspx

Sherald, J. Dutch elm disease symptoms. http://plantdiagnostics.umd.edu/level3.cfm?causeID=1208.

Introduction

Non native, invasive species can be manifested as plants, animals or other organisms such as microbes. In any case they have immense capabilities for causing widespread destruction of ecosystems processes at large and often greatly reduce the diversity of native species (the second leading cause of loss in biodiversity in the United States). Humans are the primary means for the spread and introduction of invasive species, so it stands to reason that as we should be at least in part responsible for remediation efforts. As such our group has chosen to look at the problem of invasive species more closely, with a particular eye for those that are relevant in Vermont. 

Japanese Knotweed

Japanese Knotweed

Wetherell, 2009

Plaguing Vermont and many other states in the eastern US this herbaceous perennial poses a significant threat to natural areas at a large scale, particularly riparian sites where Japanese Knotweed is able to tolerate extreme flood events. Flooding events which this species have shown great capacity to withstand will increase the competitive advantage for this species with the overlay of global climate change and the predicted increase in severe weather events. 

Japanese Knotweed, capable of growing over ten feet in height, was introduced in the United States, in the late 1800s, as an ornamental plant and subsequently was used as an erosion control mechanism and in landscaping projects. Once established, Japanese Knotweed has proven itself as an extremely persistent species. Several years ago it was placed on a list generated by the National Parks Service, “Least Wanted Invasives” (Remaley, 2009)

At present herbicide use is the primary mechanism for controlling this species but if the public was more aware of the culinary uses for this species maybe harvesting could become the primary means of eradiating these species, or at least ceasing the spread.

Japanese Knotweed is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and the antioxidants, in addition to providing potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese. Another benefit that comes from eating the plant is the chemical resveratrol. Resveratrol can also be found in the skin of grapes and in red wine, and it works to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks. Studies have also been done that show that resveratrol may delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease or slow its progression (Brill, 2008).

In culinary terms Japanese Knotweed is not quite as versatile as garlic mustard, another commonly found invasive species in Vermont, that being said, a lot can still be created using the plant and it can still become a kitchen classic for your family if you learn to love the recipes that include it.

 The shoots of the plant are most commonly be used for cooking, and should be harvested when they are between 6 to 8 inches tall in order to achieve the best flavor. They are intensely tart and tangy and have a taste similar to rhubarb, and some claim better (Brill, 2008).

The taller shoots also can be used; the tough rind that covers them can be exploited to make marmalade.

The stems have a variety of uses. They can be steam as a vegetable, and simmer in soups.  Sauces, jams, and fruit compotes are additional options.  People who have experimented with cooking Japanese Knotweed have forewarned of using it sparingly, the taste is extremely powerful if overdone (Cohen, Sanctuary Magazine: Eat Your Invasives , 2011).

Recipes that include Japanese Knotweed can be found below. 

By: Sabrina Smits 

Bibliography 

Brill, S. (2008). Japanese Knotweed . Shoots and Greens of Early Spring in Northeast North America . New York : http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Knotweed.html.

Cohen, R. (2008 , September 5). Janpanese Knotwood Recipes . New England Wild Flower Society . http://www.newfs.org/protect/invasive-plants/specific-invasive-plants/japanese-knotweed-recipes.html/.

Cohen, R. (2011, March 15). Sanctuary Magazine: Eat Your Invasives . Mass Audubon . http://www.massaudubon.org/sanctuary/features.php?id=94.

Remaley, T. (2009, December 10). Japanese Knotweed . Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group: Least Wanted . http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/faja1.htm.

Wetherell, S. (2009, May http://www.foodista.com/blog/2009/05/29/japanese-knotweed-apple-crumble). Japanese Knotweed .

Invasives in Vermont: Narrative

For this project we will be looking at invasive species in Vermont and innovative solutions to controlling them. Within this topic we will each be doing individual studies on various invasive species in Vermont. Matt Hollingsworth will be researching Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and the Asian longhorn beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) as a potential threat, Meagan Murray will be researching Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) and the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), Molly Alves will be researching purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and the ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), Sabrina Smits will be researching knotweed (Fallopia japonica) and Dutch elm disease, and Norah Carlos will be researching honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.) and alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus).

 As a group we are interested in discovering the solutions, impacts, community awareness, nonprofit efforts, and effect on biodiversity of these invasive species. These practitioners appeal to us because the take-over of invasive species is detrimental to the biodiversity of Vermont. Invasive species are perpetuated by human activity and will not be controlled/eradicated without human aid.

WELCOME TO THE INVASIVE SPECIES BLOG SPOT!

This blog was created to share information and raise awareness concerning the growing problem of invasive species in local ecosystems, particularly Vermont. This is a shared blog inspired by a project for a college course at The University of Vermont.