Picture This! — HIPP Arts Contest
Those of us who live and vacation in Harpswell agree that we are fortunate to be in in such a beautiful place: the peaceful views, the hiking trails, the water access, the outdoor fun. But, there are barriers to maintaining that beauty. Among them is the proliferation of invasive plants.
These plants have come to us from other countries, and they spread quickly. Without the natural controls from their native habitats, they restrict the necessary food for birds and animals. Birds, for example, need a lot of caterpillars to feed their young. But often, the plants that come from other countries do not host these caterpillars, and the birds go hungry. Invasives even reduce the recreational spaces that we love for walking, birding or hiking. Hiking through a mass of vines, likely invasive vines, can be impossible.
Invasive plants damage agriculture and even human health. Farmland cannot be used for grazing if it’s infected with certain invasive plants. They affect forest regeneration by creating shade where sun is needed, while hogging soil nutrients that native plants need for growth.
Have you noticed any invasive plants that prevent you from enjoying nature? This season, Harpswell Invasive Plant Partnership (HIPP) is sponsoring an arts contest for both adults and kids as a way to have fun and be creative while learning more about invasive plants. Here’s your chance to help spread the word through art!
Worried that you don’t know enough about invasive plants? Go to hippmaine.org and click on “resources.” Then to “find your invasive plant.”
There are many possible ways your artistic skills can show invasive plant problems. You can write about them, take a photograph or draw or paint a picture to show the changes to the environment caused by invasive plants. Add your own ideas. There is no need for prior experience in any of these areas. This is an opportunity to do it your way and help make a difference for the future of our wonderful community. You can even make this an educational (while fun) family project! There will be prizes for both adults and kids, and the winning entries will be published in this paper and on the HIPP website.
For more information about HIPP, about invasives on your property, or if you’d like to volunteer to help control these pests, contact our co-chairs: Linda Wilkins, Don Westfall or Becky Gallery at [email protected]. In 2022, HIPP volunteers helped control invasive plants in 10 Harpswell locations for a total of 338 volunteer hours to help Harpswell stay beautiful now and insure its land stays healthy for generations into the future.
