Friday, February 24, 2012

The benefits of controlling Japanese Barberry

Research from UConn found that Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) harbors large tick populations compared to areas without Japanese Barberry. Therefore, the removal of this invasive plant helps to control tick populations that carry disease. This spring, we are planning another invasive species removal day where we will tackle some patches of forest that are dominated by Barberry. We chop them down at their base and then apply herbicide to prevent regrowth. Keep an eye out for an invitation to help us remove invasives!