Phragmites australis - a poster child of invasives in the Peconics.
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Help Us Stop the Spread of Alien Invasives!
We humans are often responsible for the introduction of new or spread of existing invasive species. Fortunately, with a little care, we can prevent - and even reverse - the negative impacts of alien invasives. Remember - please protect and restore the Peconics - Do Your Part!
If you're a gardener...
Never buy or plant non-native invasive plants that spread aggressively, such as purple loosestrife or bamboo. Instead, plant similar plants that are native and non-invasive and that thrive in the Peconics, such as the species included in the table below. Replace existing invasive plants with these same alternatives.
The following table of native landscape plant alternatives is taken from a publication of the Long Island Weed Management Area.
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INVADERS
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ALTERNATIVES
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| TREES |
Norway maple, black locust, tree of heaven (Ailanthus), paper mulberry, white mulberry
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Oaks, red maple, American beech, pitch pine, sweet gum, black gum, white ash, redbud, serviceberry
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| VINES |
Oriental (Asiatic) bittersweet, Japanese honeysuckle, porcelainberry, periwinkle, exotic wisterias
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Virginia creeper, virgin’s bower, trumpet creeper, trumpet honeysuckle, crossvine, American honeysuckle
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| SHRUBS |
Japanese barberry, buckthorn, autumn & Russian olive, non-native bush honeysuckles, winged burning bush, Japanese knotweed
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Bayberry, juneberry, blueberry, hawthorne, nannyberry, winterberry, sweet pepperbush, spicebush, silky dogwood, mapleleaf viburnum, red or black chokeberry, inkberry
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| PERENNIALS |
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Bee balm, blazing star, cardinal flower, blue flag, obedient plant, Joe Pye weed, ironweed, blue vervain, native grasses
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If you're a pet owner...
- Return fish, turtles, frogs, or other pets to a local pet shop for resale or trade.
- Donate pets and plants to a school, museum, zoo, public aquarium, nursing home, hospital, or another institution.
- Seal aquatic plants in plastic bags and dispose in the trash.
- Contact a veterinarian or pet store for humane disposal guidance.
- Check out the PEP's pet shop placard for more information...
If you're a boater or personal watercraft user*...
- Remove any visible mud, plants, fish or animals before transporting equipment
- Eliminate water from equipment before transporting
- Clean and dry anything that came in contact with water (Boats, trailers, equipment, clothing, dogs, etc.)
- Never release plants, fish or animals into a body of water unless they came out of that body of water.
*Source: Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Public Awareness Campaign
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