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Fall is the perfect time to look around Harpswell at nature’s seasonal growth. From roadsides to shorelines, trees and shrubs are signaling the season’s end. As the brilliant colors fade, leaves drop and skies open — wait, why is that maple tree still green? And why are those yellow vines wrapping around utility poles, pines, firs and spruces?
Those are the signs of plant invaders from lands too distant for many of us to visit. Many came by way of the nursery trade because it was thought that their beauty would enhance our landscapes. But then they went wild. Without natural predators from their homelands to keep them under control, they are damaging the very landscapes they were intended to beautify.
That maple that stayed green after others had dropped their leaves gains overpowering strength by extending its growing season beyond that of our native maples. It will also leaf out earlier in the spring than our native maples. This Norway maple, with its vast root system, sucks nutrients from our soils, slurps up water and discourages native plants from trying to grow nearby
And those vines? While brilliantly yellow in October, with holiday-appropriate orange seeds, once their leaves drop, their root systems continue to spread in all directions. Cutting the vines to try to control them prompts their survival reaction of sending up many new vines from their root nodes. These new sprouts then develop into the stranglehold we see on utility lines and on any structure available to host them. Originally from Asia, bittersweet vines can consume our desirable trees and shrubs beyond our control and prevent our native flora from growing.
When you drive along Maine’s highways, you might notice that roadsides formerly bordered by cattails are now enveloped in tall reeds with fluffy seed tops. Those tall reeds are phragmites, and they’re also in Harpswell. Look for them in patches along Mountain Road and at the Transfer Station near the brush disposal area.
As the seasonal reeds mature, their stalks dry, then fall, and the hefty mass of roots and stalks prevents our native plants from filling in. They then clog our waterways. The Scarborough Marsh shows how extensively these reeds can invade. This invasive plant begs to be controlled as soon as a patch is noted, because once it takes hold, there’s little that can be done to stop it.
Volunteers with the Harpswell Invasive Plant Partnership have persisted for more than a decade to prevent invasive plants from blocking our trails. Now we can all relish the intrigue of what’s around the next bend when we hike. But HIPP needs your donations to continue its work. The funds are used to purchase necessary tools, sharpen those we already have, spread the word by way of the Anchor, and reprint our booklet about invasive plant control.
HIPP encourages your volunteer participation. If you can donate, please go to hippmaine.org and click on “make a donation.” If you prefer, please volunteer. Help HIPP help Harpswell.
