Work Party Description:
There are some patches of Black Swallwwort in the upper field area along the edges of the Leaping Well Nature Trail on the Toth Property, off Mosier Street. This is an especially nasty invasive plant that quickly colonizes an area. It is particularly noxious at the Toth Property site due to its ability to overtake native milkweed stands and disrupt habitat for native milkweed dependant species such as the monarch butterfly. There is a large patch of native milkweed in the open field area of Toth that I am seeking to protect from invasion of this black swallowwort. While on site this morning with the contractor that will be conducting the regular mowing of the Leaping Well Nature Trail (Chris Polatin of Land Stewardship, Inc.), we observed that the swallowwort has set seed but not fully mature yet. He advised that we get the patches cut back/pulled out and bagged within the next week to prevent the release of seeds which would lead to a more widespread invasion in this habitat. If time allows, there are a few purple loosestrife plants to be pulled too, and some garlic mustard along the trail in the forested section that can be hand pulled too.
Work will involve cutting swallowwort with hand pruners and/or pulling plants fromt eh ground, and bagging for removal from property. Bring hand pruners and come in tick repellent clothing. While on site today I sprayed my clothing with a DEET based repellant and didn't have any ticks on me after an hour of walking through waist high grasses.
More on Black Swallowwort here:
https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=3398
Thanks,
Anne Capra, Conservation Administrator/ Planner
acapra@southhadleyma.gov
413-538-5017 X208