Volunteers Needed For Purple Loosestrife Task Force
Photo by Stephanie Boismenue
Meeting Location: Parking lot of Lizzy T’s Tamarack Tap, 5533 Highway 47, Lake Tomahawk (Town of Newbold).
Calling All Volunteers – I NEED YOUR HELP! The invasive purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is growing in several areas around the county, but it is really taking off and becoming abundant along Highway 47 in the McNaughton area (Town of Newbold). For this reason, I am asking for volunteers to join me with purple loosestrife management and removal efforts, which consists of clipping flowers and digging out plants. Some plants are easy to hand pull and others have huge root systems that need to be dug out. The sites are a mix of dry, wet, and muck, so needless to say, it will not be a clean job.
This event is the perfect opportunity to learn about purple loosestrife and its negative impact to the environment and benefit from our removal efforts as we witness a physical transformation to the landscape and improvement to the environment.
What to bring and details: I recommend waders (or muck boots if you do not have waders), a shovel, hand pruners, and gloves. Wear clothes that can get dirty and closed shoes. I will provide purple loosestrife plant identification, management and removal training, and supply the trash bags, plant disposal, decontamination supplies, snacks, and water. I will also contact the DOT to alert them of our activities and obtain safety vests.
If you can help, please send a Purple Loosestrife Task Force email to Stephanie Boismenue at sboismenue@co.oneida.wi.us. I really appreciate your help with combating this invasive species.
To find out more about purple loosestrife and other aquatic invasive species, see AIS: Identification
