Best Management Practices for Common Invasive Plants in the Lower Hudson Valley

There is a “knowing-doing gap” in invasive species control, where research into best management practices often does not inform on-the-ground practices of land managers. We hope these factsheets will help address this gap in the Lower Hudson Valley.

By interpreting the scientific literature and experiences of professionals in the field, we have compiled accessible and accurate information for landowners, land managers, gardeners, farmers, foresters, and anyone else with a connection to the land and an interest in managing for biodiversity by controlling invasive plants. For the factsheets, we chose a subset of invasive plants that are both significant problems in our region, and that had enough peer-reviewed literature and/or first-hand experience of practitioners in the region to come up with evidence-supported management recommendations.

We caution that many of the studies cited in the factsheets were restricted in space and time, and may or may not be representative of situations in the LH PRISM region. For some species where only a few management methods had been tested, we recommended “trying” a method that had worked with another species.

Our factsheets cover:

• Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
• Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
• Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
• Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
• Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
• Black swallowwort (Cynanchum louiseae)
• Smooth buckthorn (Frangula alnus)
• Bell’s honeysuckle (Lonicera × bella)
• Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
• Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum)
• Mile-a-minute (Persicaria perfoliata)
• Common reed (Phragmites australis)
• Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum and P. × bohemica)
• Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)
• Water-chestnut (Trapa natans)