Invasive Plant Identification and Management in Maine

Join Sebasticook Regional Land Trust and Waldo County Soil and Water Conservation District to learn about invasive plants, how they spread, and how their presence influences the health of the diverse natural habitats found in the Sebasticook River watershed. We will discuss ways to manage these species to minimize their impacts, including identifying them early and planning for treatment. The workshop will be led by consulting forester Hunter Manley of Legacy Woodlot Services. Hunter will review the identification of species present at the Moulton’s Mill Preserve along with a few he will bring along from nearby properties. He will discuss a variety of treatment options and strategies regarding the best time of year to use them. We will finish the workshop with some hands-on work to cut and pull invasive non-native bush honeysuckle on site to demonstrate best practices.

Hunter is a licensed forester, licensed pesticide applicator, and certified technical service provider with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Since graduating from the University of Maine Forestry program in 2017, Manley has been working on invasive plant control with towns, land trusts, and the Maine Natural Areas Program, in addition to a variety of other forestry projects. SRLT’s Moulton’s Mill Preserve is a 700-acre preserve with a mix of woodlands (regenerating after being heavily cut prior to being conserved), field and wetland habitats bordering Twenty-five Mile Stream and located along Route 139 just over 2 miles from the Unity town center. This workshop is supported through funding from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund.