Invasive Plants

Invasive plant species negatively affect park resources and visitor enjoyment by altering ecological processes, reducing native plant and animal habitat, blocking views, and increasing trail maintenance needs. Invasive species are the second greatest threat to global biodiversity, after habitat loss.

Discovering invasive plants before they become well-established is critical to reducing damage to ecosystem integrity, preventing the loss of habitat for rare plants and animals, and preventing costly natural resource management. Fortunately, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument currently has minimal invasive plant species detected within the park boundaries. Trails, roads, and waterways are the main routes of infestation of new exotic species. Monitoring these routes is the most effective way to prevent the spread of existing species and the infestation of new species.

Be On The Lookout: Non-native Plant Species

Current non-native plants found within Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument:

• Shrub honeysuckle
• Common reed
• Purple loosestrife

The plants listed below have not been found within the monument boundaries yet, but they have been detected in the local area. Help us prevent the spread of invasive species and report any signs to a ranger.

• Japanese knotweed
• Asiatic bittersweet

What can you do to help protect our parks?

You can help prevent the spread of invasive species in national parks through a few simple steps:

1. Clean your boots and gear before visiting a park to remove seeds and dirt. This will minimize transportation of invasive plants into the park.
2. Don’t bring firewood when you visit a park (actually, this protects the parks from invasive insects like spotted lantern fly, but it is one of the most important things you can do to protect park forests).
3. Post invaders you see in parks to iNaturalist (see more on Early Detection below)
4. Plant native species at your home and remove invasive ones (you can create your Homegrown National Park right in your backyard!)