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KISMA and Keweenaw Wild Ones partner to help the Copper Country remove invasive species from their yards. Barberry plants that were once commonly used by landscapers can easily move into forested areas, where the plant becomes a much different problem. KISMA program coordinator Sigrid Resh says that homeowners who want to replace their barberry with a native plant species will want to dig up the bush.
They grow so densely that they inhibit other native species, and plant species from growing. They aren’t identifiable by our native insects and birds, for the most part. So they don’t get eaten. And because they don’t get eaten, their populations have nothing to check them. And they just grow big into large, dense colonies, basically changing the ecosystem and what can survive there. – Sigrid Resh, Prgram Coordinator, KISMA
Keweenaw Wild Ones President Marcia Goodrich says that the two groups coming together on a project has been a long time coming. Wild Ones throughout the year encourages the use of native plants in gardening. KISMA coordinates research and management areas to study the spread, and practices to remove invasive species in the Keweenaw Peninsula.
The other reason is that their mission dovetails with ours. We encourage people to garden with native plants, and the best thing you can do in terms of helping the environment is to get rid of nasty invasives like Japanese barberry and replace them with native plants. And we are two sides of the same coin, and it is an honor and a pleasure to be working with KISMA. – Marcia Goodrich, President, Keweenaw Wild Ones
Residents trading in barberry at one of the three turn-in days will receive a 10-dollar gift certificate for a new native species in the yard. There are three chances to drop off barberry plants to KISMA and Wild Ones; this Saturday at Houghton High School from 10 am to 2 pm. Then again on the 8th in L’Anse. And on August 10th in Eagle Harbor. Those interested in learning more about Japanese and European barberry, how to identify the species, and how it impacts the environment can find more information and details about drop-off days here.
