The Woods Committee and Recreation Committee are co-sponsoring a free film event, Hometown Habitat, on Saturday, November 4th from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM in the Town Hall. Please note the time! The film promotes use of native plantings which supports native wildlife.
What’s That? Plant Invaders:
At our last meeting we discussed the prevalence of certain non-native invasives (NNIs) in Washington Grove. A major concern is bush honeysuckle (like Lonicera maackii) and vine honeysuckle (like Lonicera japonica). Several cultivars were imported from Asia to serve as ornamentals and as wildlife habitat, but the bush honeysuckle in particular have colonized large swaths of the Grove. Although they are green and healthy, they out compete and displace native shrubs, trees and herbaceous plants. There is also scientific evidence published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (26 October 2010) about increased risk of tick-borne diseases associated with deer grazing on Bush Honeysuckle. And while the fruits of these ‘exotic’ honeysuckles provide some nutrition for birds and mice in winter, their carbohydrate-rich quality is no match for the lipid-rich fruits of native species that sustain migrating birds. The Recreation Committee and the Woods Committee are co-sponsoring the showing of a wonderful film “Hometown Habitat.” The film highlights the desirability of planting and nurturing native plant species which in turn nurture our native insects, birds and other small critters. Hometown Habitat shows how anyone can do this in their own yard, but part of the take home message is that the Town could also be encouraging native plants instead of non-natives like bush honeysuckle. The F&B Committee agrees and will work to move in that direction going forward.