The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the University of Maine a grant to study the connection between invasive plants and ticks, according to the News Center Maine article UMaine awarded $1.8M to research tick mitigation through invasive plant removal. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether removing invasive plants that provide protective habitats for ticks will reduce the population density of those disease-carrying insects. Some of the invasive plants that are known or suspected to harbor ticks include Japanese barberry, shrub honeysuckle and buckthorn. These three invasive plant species are profiled in HIPP’s ‘A Steward’s Guide‘ collection in the Resources: Harpswell’s Top 22 Invasive Plants section of this website.
Removing invasive plants in Harpswell is HIPP’s core mission and the UMaine study has the potential to raise citizen awareness of invasive plant species in Harpswell Heritage Land Trust preserves, along our roadways, and residential as well as public spaces. Stay tuned to HIPP’s calendar of events for this spring’s opportunities to engage with local experts and to learn more and get involved with HIPP efforts.