Civic Land Stewardship

Our woodlands in the Northeastern US are in trouble.

From private residential lands to local parks to nature preserves, recreational clubs and school lands, the woodland landscape is often neglected. Invasive shrubs & vines gather at the transition spaces, and common neglect lets them grow unchecked. Invasive species present an unsightly monoculture over the landscape, suppressing the native vegetation desired by local pollinators, supporting the food webs. The bird population in the US Eastern forests has diminished by 30% since 1970.

You might see this most about along state parkways & highways, the trees the trees are are covered by carpets of invasive vine leaves. After the leaves fall, we see skeletons of the woody vines strangling the trees. These will weaken and ultimately kill the trees. These could lead to more blocked roads and downed power lines following storms.

There are even more destructive plants, like Japanese Knotweed, the roots of which have been seen to break through concrete foundations.

In 2007, New York State determined that "invasive plant and animal species pose an unacceptable risk to New York state's environment and economy and that this risk is increasing through time as more invasive species become established within the state." (ENV § 9-1701) In the ensuing 15 years, the state created the basic infrastructure, the NY Invasive Species Research Institute & regional PRISMs (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management). These help coordinate many volunteer groups spending countless hours cutting back removing destructive plants.

And yet - there is no public accounting as to how much remains: how many acres of woodlands need saving, or are otherwise at risk, and how much it would cost.

But all is not lost. Many upstate parks & trails are relatively clear of invasive species. Many suburban woodlots -- outside of popular trails -- remain clear as well. We can need to ensure that they remain preserved.

We need a new paradigm. We need a regulatory framework for land owners to take the responsibility of stewardship, devise plans, and carry them out. We can do this through new state legislation. Some wild areas, particularly by roadsides, may forever be lost. But we need to start by getting ownership of the problem.