Regional Inlet Invasive Plant Program
Inlet and surrounding communities are making great strides in their efforts to control Japanese Knotweed – an invasive plant which threatens the Adirondacks. Yet much remains to be done.
Since 2008 the Town of Inlet has taken the lead, with support from Town Supervisor John Frey and Town Clerk Patty Wittmeyer. Patty coordinates Inlet’s efforts including collecting permission forms and tax-deductable donations. Ellen Collins from Blue Mountain Lake and Terry DeArmas from Indian Lake are coordinating efforts there – identifying sites, collecting permission forms, and fund raising. Elizabeth Mangle from the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District is helping with county-wide efforts. The Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program is helping coordinate region-wide efforts. Doug Johnson, a summer resident of 7th Lake and certified pesticide applicator, has helped spearhead efforts. In 2011 Judy Brown and Evelyn Greene helped in North Creek and North River, Chuck Taylor in Long Lake, Katy Weil in Lake Piseco, Larry Master in Lake Placid, Leslie Karasin in Saranac Lake, and Gary Lee in Inlet. Certified applicators Ryan Burkum and D. Avery Menz with Eric Menz did most of the treatments in 2011. We received a grant from the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program. Additional volunteers are needed to help coordinate efforts in 2012. Property owners are encouraged to sign permission forms. See writeups of our program: ADK Case study, Japanese Knotweed Under Attack, Adirondacks Winning the War on Knotweed, and letters (8/30/2007, 8/17/2010), and Adirondack Council Newsletter story. Check out the slide show of our program.
From 2008 to 2010 tens of thousands of knotweed canes were injected and tens of thousands of additional plants sprayed with herbicide (glyphosate) in over 80 sites in Blue Mountain Lake, Indian Lake, Inlet, Eagle Bay, and Town of Webb. In 2011 we treated about 75,000 knotweed canes in over 150 sites (see report including sites treated), with additional areas including Lake Piseco, Lake Placid, North Creek, North River, Speculator, and Wells. Many sites are near shores, rivers, and streams, and were treated after Adirondack Park Agency approval. These sites are very important to treat to prevent downstream spread of knotweed.
Japanese knotweed forms dense thickets of thick bamboo-like hollow stems, with mature heights over 10 feet and an extensive network of underground roots. The leaves are somewhat heart-shaped with white lacy flow clusters that form in August. We recommend not cutting knotweed after June 1st so there is enough growth to allow effective herbicide application. Digging the plant/roots is not recommended since tiny root fragments can start new plants. Treatment with herbicide (glyphosate) done properly is very effective.
Everyone benefits from controlling invasive plants in the Adirondacks. If you a property owner and think you have knotweed on your property (in areas we cover), contact your invasive plant coordinator.
Additional volunteers are needed for other areas in the Adirondacks - to help identify sites, collect permissions from property owners, become certified or treat knotweed if already certified. If you are interested in helping, contact Doug Johnson or Patty Wittmeyer, Inlet Clerk (315) 357-5771.
There is no cost to property owners for the pesticide application, though tax-deductible donations are essential for these efforts to continue.
Please make tax-deductible donations payable to: Town of Inlet, Invasive Plant Control Fund; and mail to: Town of Inlet PO Box 179, Inlet, NY 13360, with your name, phone, address, and email. Contact clerk@inletny.com (315) 357-5771 with questions.
Since 2008 the Town of Inlet has taken the lead, with support from Town Supervisor John Frey and Town Clerk Patty Wittmeyer. Patty coordinates Inlet’s efforts including collecting permission forms and tax-deductable donations. Ellen Collins from Blue Mountain Lake and Terry DeArmas from Indian Lake are coordinating efforts there – identifying sites, collecting permission forms, and fund raising. Elizabeth Mangle from the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District is helping with county-wide efforts. The Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program is helping coordinate region-wide efforts. Doug Johnson, a summer resident of 7th Lake and certified pesticide applicator, has helped spearhead efforts. In 2011 Judy Brown and Evelyn Greene helped in North Creek and North River, Chuck Taylor in Long Lake, Katy Weil in Lake Piseco, Larry Master in Lake Placid, Leslie Karasin in Saranac Lake, and Gary Lee in Inlet. Certified applicators Ryan Burkum and D. Avery Menz with Eric Menz did most of the treatments in 2011. We received a grant from the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program. Additional volunteers are needed to help coordinate efforts in 2012. Property owners are encouraged to sign permission forms. See writeups of our program: ADK Case study, Japanese Knotweed Under Attack, Adirondacks Winning the War on Knotweed, and letters (8/30/2007, 8/17/2010), and Adirondack Council Newsletter story. Check out the slide show of our program.
From 2008 to 2010 tens of thousands of knotweed canes were injected and tens of thousands of additional plants sprayed with herbicide (glyphosate) in over 80 sites in Blue Mountain Lake, Indian Lake, Inlet, Eagle Bay, and Town of Webb. In 2011 we treated about 75,000 knotweed canes in over 150 sites (see report including sites treated), with additional areas including Lake Piseco, Lake Placid, North Creek, North River, Speculator, and Wells. Many sites are near shores, rivers, and streams, and were treated after Adirondack Park Agency approval. These sites are very important to treat to prevent downstream spread of knotweed.
Japanese knotweed forms dense thickets of thick bamboo-like hollow stems, with mature heights over 10 feet and an extensive network of underground roots. The leaves are somewhat heart-shaped with white lacy flow clusters that form in August. We recommend not cutting knotweed after June 1st so there is enough growth to allow effective herbicide application. Digging the plant/roots is not recommended since tiny root fragments can start new plants. Treatment with herbicide (glyphosate) done properly is very effective.
Everyone benefits from controlling invasive plants in the Adirondacks. If you a property owner and think you have knotweed on your property (in areas we cover), contact your invasive plant coordinator.
Additional volunteers are needed for other areas in the Adirondacks - to help identify sites, collect permissions from property owners, become certified or treat knotweed if already certified. If you are interested in helping, contact Doug Johnson or Patty Wittmeyer, Inlet Clerk (315) 357-5771.
There is no cost to property owners for the pesticide application, though tax-deductible donations are essential for these efforts to continue.
Please make tax-deductible donations payable to: Town of Inlet, Invasive Plant Control Fund; and mail to: Town of Inlet PO Box 179, Inlet, NY 13360, with your name, phone, address, and email. Contact clerk@inletny.com (315) 357-5771 with questions.