STARKSBORO, Vt. (WCAX) – The Lewis Creek Association is pioneering a new project this year to manually remove an invasive plant species called Japanese Knotweed.
The weed is not native to Vermont, and causes erosion along the banks of Lewis Creek, leading to wildlife disturbances and possible phosphorus flow into Lake Champlain.
Kate Kelly with Lewis Creek Association said most people use chemicals to get rid of the plant, but some community members in Starksboro asked if there were other ways to get rid of them.
“We are trying to control it manually, just using essentially our hands, because we do have folks here in the Lewis Creek watershed who are worried about using chemicals and herbicides,” Kelly said.
Because Japanese Knotweed spreads out using its roots, a group with Lewis Creek Association will spend a few hours a week cutting to the root of the plant to get rid of it.
“Then in year two, it tries to spread out via its roots, so the roots will probably spread out laterally and you’ll find plants popping up in places where maybe they weren’t before,” Kelly said.
Kelly said this can be discouraging for people who spent the time the preview working to get rid of the weed, but she said it’s important to not give up.
She said, eventually, by the third year, the roots won’t have the energy to keep spreading and they will start pulling back into its core, which means eventually workers will cut less and less each year.
For those who want to join the project, and help cut the weed, Lewis Creek Association is starting a community clean up in North Ferrisburgh.
Or people can use an app called iNaturalist to report sightings of Japanese knotweed, to help experts find where the weed is growing.
Those who want to join can sign up here.
