Author: Harpswell Invasive Plant Partnership

Once again, it’s the season to brave short days and long nights, smile, and prepare for planting time. That’ll happen, but let’s get the bad news out of the way first: According to the World Wildlife Fund, our planet has lost two-thirds of its wildlife since 1970, mostly insects.

What’s yellow, climbs trees and utility poles, and has orange berries? Asiatic bittersweet, seen on a roadside near you every autumn. Even in early November, its yellow leaves can be seen climbing trees and poles throughout Harpswell.

Asiatic bittersweet climbs a tree on the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust’s Curtis Farm...

Common buckthorn. (LESLIE J. MEYERHOFF/BUGWOOD.ORG PHOTO) By Jeff Stann, HIPP When the Harpswell...