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On May 8, 2008 the Friends of the Hunt River Watershed hosted a talk on the Purple Loosestrife in the
Hunt River Watershed given by a team of researchers from URI and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The presentation
was held at the town Library. (See text below from the press release)
FRONT ROW (left to right) Lisa Tewksbury, U.R.I. Biological Control Lab, Harriet
Powell and John McGinn, Friends of the Hunt River Watershed. BACK ROW (left to right) John Richard, USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Greg Mannesto, Fish and Wildlife Service, Thomas Greene, Friends of the Hunt River Watershed,
Jessie Dyer and Mike Merrill, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Purple Loosestrife at Sandhill Pond
GO HERE: Photographs of Galerucelle Beetle and Roger Williams Park Purple Loosestrife Project
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum
salicaria) is a highly invasive wetland plant that can rapidly degrade the functions and values of wetlands and has begun
to invade the water systems of Rhode Island. In an effort to control the invasion, biological control through the release of Galerucella beetle species has been
undertaken on a site-by-site basis. This effort has been spearheaded by the University of Rhode Island Biological Control Lab and fostered by the NRCS. The Bio Control Lab rears and releases the beetles into areas throughout
the state invaded with Purple loosestrife. During the meeting the history and success of Purple loosestrife biological control
in Rhode Island will be presented.
In partnership with URI, last summer the
USDA NRCS conducted a comprehensive inventory of Purple loosestrife populations within the Hunt River watershed. With the data collected, a watershed plan was created
which discusses the extent of Purple loosestrife invasion. Most importantly, the plan outlines Purple loosestrife control
recommendations for specific sites in the watershed that are located on both private and public lands. These control recommendations
would protect and restore valuable wetland habitat. An outline of the study, the results, the plan, and the recommendations
will be addressed at the meeting as well as what the public and other partners can do to get involved
More information to come on our "PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE PULL" in the Summer of 2008.
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