Invasive Plants

Invasive Plants in Our Metroparks

Non-native, invasive plant species that are currently found along Metroparks trails have traveled long distances from their native European and Asian homes over the course of time.  Some plants, historically, were imported for purposes like enhancement of wildlife habitat, farm animal forage, agricultural cover crops, food for settlers, landscaping, herbal medicine and soil stabilization. Other species, however, arrived accidentally, hitching a ride across the open ocean buried in soil that filled ship ballasts. Additional species quietly slipped in as contaminants via other routes.

These plants had no problem establishing themselves as a part of our native ecosystems. In fact, many came armed with prolific strategies for easy reproduction and spread across the landscape. They face no natural controls here, and produce thousands of seeds to ensure their continued success.

In many of our ecosystems, dense monocultures were formed by these types of plants, which quickly rob native plant populations of water and valuable nutrients and inhibit any further native plant germination from the seed bank. In time, ecosystem health is jeopardized and rare native plants are displaced, contributing to the overall reduction of wildlife biodiversity within these communities.

Overall, dealing with the control of these invasives impacts time, dollars, and ideal recreational experiences like fishing, boating, hiking, and birding. Battling these plants with herbicides and other manual removal methods costs homeowners, farmers, conservation and recreation agencies millions of dollars annually.

Long term removal of these species will contribute to healthier ecosystems as a whole, offer better habitat for rare plants to thrive, and increase native plant and wildlife diversity within natural communities. Additionally, park visitors can take better advantage of higher quality outdoor experiences like fishing, hiking and birding and seek top notch wildlife watching opportunities.

In order to protect and sustain quality natural areas, Metroparks spends much time each season controlling invasive plant species by mowing, cutting, selective herbicide application, and burning. The ultimate goal is to restore, conserve and maintain native vegetation for the preservation of ideal wildlife habitat for future generations.