Aliens on Your Land! Strategies for Controlling Invasive Plants

The Ohio Invasive Plants Council (OIPC), in cooperation with the ODNR Divisions of Natural Areas & Preserves and Forestry, and Crane Hollow will be hosting a workshop about controlling invasive plants for land managers and property owners:  Aliens on Your Land!  Strategies for Controlling Invasive Plants”.  The workshop will include an overview of invasive plants, how ODNR and Crane Hollow controls invasive plants on state nature preserves and forests, and how to deal with invasive plants on your property.

The September 8, 2016 workshop runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Stratford Ecological Center at 3083 Liberty Road in Delaware, Ohio. Lunch and a walk to view invasive plants will be included as part of the $10 registration fee. The workshop schedule and registration details can be found at www.oipc.info/workshops.html. Pre-registration is required and is limited to 70 people.

An invasive species is a species that is non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Invasive species can be plants, animals, and other organisms (e.g., microbes). Human actions are the primary means of invasive species introductions.  An invasive plant is usually characterized by fast growth rates, high fruit production, rapid vegetative spread and efficient seed dispersal and germination. Since these plants are not native to Ohio, they lack the natural predators and diseases which would naturally control them in their native habitats.

The Ohio Invasive Plants Council is a coalition of organizations and individuals throughout Ohio concerned about the introduction, spread, and control of invasive, non-native plants in Ohio's natural habitats. OIPC promotes public awareness of invasive species issues and encourages land management and research to detect invasive species and prevent new invasions into natural ecosystems.  OIPC was formed as a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization in 2005 as a result of efforts in the late 1990's to improve awareness of the threats of invasive plants.

To register for this workshop visit www.oipc.info/workshops.html. For further inquiries, please contact OIPC at OIPC-Board@oipc.info