HIPP kicked off this year’s Fall invasive plants management season with a dedicated crew of first year Bowdoin students who are participating in Bowdoin’s Common Good program. The team, with the guidance of two HIPP co-chairs Linda Wilkins and Don Westfall, cut down stands of Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) at the Devil’s Back Trail Area on Orr’s Island. This is the third year that Bowdoin College has collaborated with HIPP by providing Common Good volunteers who make a meaningful impact on preserves in Harpswell. In previous years Bowdoin students have supported invasive plant removal at the Giant’s Stairs and McIntosh Lot, and Otter Brook Preserve.
Why the Fall Season Emphasis for Invasive Plant Work?
Autumn is an important season for invasive plant control efforts. Plants transition into seed production during the Fall and this season presents the best opportunity to identify invasive plants and remove their fruit-bearing growth. Some invasive plants including Asiatic bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) are also more easily identifiable in the Fall because bittersweet leaves start yellowing before other plants. HIPP volunteers take particular care during this season to bag invasive plant cuttings which could leave their seeds and berries behind to sprout in the next season. Check out the “Know before you go” article from March 2026 for details on disposing of invasive plant material.
HIPP Workdays Continue Through Fall Months
In addition to the control work at Devil’s Back, HIPP has already conducted a Fall workday at Johnson Field Preserve at Mackerel Cove on Bailey Island, focusing on bittersweet and wisteria. Upcoming workdays include Johnson Field (Sept 8), Houghton Graves (Sept 11), and Anna M. Tondreau Preserve (Sept 15).
