Weed Resistance: It Works!

Last weekend, Good Neighbors Group joined Anne Arundel Weed Resistance (AAWR) volunteers and Magothy River Association to help clear invasive plants at historic Beechwood Park in Pasadena, MD.

AAWR's efforts to fight invasives can be seen in their video: Battling the Weeds of Anne Arundel County’s Forests. AAWR is a band of weed warriors that seek to improve the forests and natural areas of Anne Arundel county by battling the invasive vines, shrubs and herbaceous plants that are damaging the health of these areas. They offer training, tools, and other support for those wishing to help with this effort on public and private lands.

AAWR collaborates with individuals and groups to battle the plants on their Most Wanted List. You can help in your own backyard and community, too, by recognizing and removing these plants that overtake and destroy native plants and trees and can starve out wildlife.

Why this effort is so important?

Invasive plants are defined as non-native to the ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, and even harm to human health. Here in Anne Arundel County there are 14 invasive plant species that are particularly problematic because of their prevalence and difficulty to control (by mechanical means).

• Many invasive plants were intentionally planted by humans. Some were planted as an ornamental for landscaping, others as erosion control and natural fences.
• Invasive plants reduce biodiversity, degrade habitat quality, decrease property values, are expensive to control and cause damage to property and the overall area. Invasive plants grow rapidly compared to natives and shade them out or girdle them, which means these weeds/vines cut through the bark and envelop the native tree completely, oftentimes killing the native tree.

Thank you for your effort to monitor and control invasive, harmful weeds on your property. (And by the way, dandelions are NOT the problem! In fact, they should be saved! Bet you didn’t know the value of dandelions. Check it out.)