by Jerry Levine

Elodea nutalli pond weed found in GHP

Invasive species can be plants, animals, and other living organisms such as microbes etc. These species are not-native to that environment and can cause economic or environmental harm to the area and or to humans.

Many plants and animals are non-native but are not harmful to the environment. Examples are tomatoes, peppers, cows, goats etc. As humans have migrated into different areas, they have brought their domesticated plants and animals with them. Tomatoes are beneficial, Japanese Knotweed is a problem.

The introduction of invasive plants and animals to our environment can pose problems for our native plants and animals. The invasives can dramatically affect or destroy our native species. Plymouth has a very informative booklet online at https://www.plymouth-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3479/Plymouth-Dirty-Dozen-Invasives-Species-PDF which identifies and has control methods for the ‘Dirty Dozen’ of invasive plants in Plymouth.

The following is a report written by Dr. Sara Grady, our HPWA invasive plant advisor, of the results of her survey of Great Herring Ponds last August. HPWA thanks Sara and her team of volunteers for their work on the annual aquatic plant sampling.

Great Herring Pond Weed Survey 2025