NEcology #68 - Maintaining and Amending Conservation Areas

Conservation lands are not simply "left alone" and land turned lose over to nature rarely grows back healthy on its own. A sad, simple fact of centuries of European influence on the North American continent have left the land sick through the introduction of invasive species, invasive pathogens, and poor land management - often directly at odds with the natural succession of native species. Today, we are dealing with a slightly less nefarious actor, while still native to the United States Robinia pseudoacacia ("Black Locust') is an aggressive, fast growing legume introduced to New England (and much of the world) where it frequently becomes a nuisance in damp meadows and other open, wet habitats. Join me on a mission to tag as many as possible for removal!
Plants of interest:
Robinia psuedoacacia - "Black Locust"
Frangula alnus - "Glossy False Buckthorn"
Solidago rugosa - "Rough Goldenrod"
Rudbeckia hirta - "Black-eyed Susan"
Symphyotrichum racemosum - "Small White Aster"
Symphyotrichum novae-belgii - "New York Aster"
Spiranthes cernua - "Nodding Ladies' Tresses"
Platanthera lacera - "Ragged Fringed Orchid"