In a collaborative effort, Young Life Camp joined the Upper Saranac Foundation to help control an infestation of Purple Loosestrife in the Upper Saranac watershed. Purple Loosestrife is an herbaceous perennial native to Eurasia that can form large, monotypic stands that exclude native vegetation in open wetlands and along shorelines. It invades wetlands altering their ecological function.
The removal project, completed by Young Life staff, was done so under the guidance of the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP). The team removed the heads of the plants, and bagged and disposed of them prior to their seed dispersal. APIPP will follow up next spring with a biological control beetle that feeds on the loosestrife.
The attractive perennial ranges from 3-7 feet in height and produces showy, magenta flowers. A single plant can produce more than 2 million seeds and the species can also reproduce vegetatively, meaning it can quickly overtake wet meadows, marshes, riverbanks, and the edges of ponds and reservoirs.
To learn more about purple loosestrife and other invasive species, visit www.adkinvasives.com/invasive-species
