Urban Forest Ecology: Voracious, Parthenogenic Asian Jumping Worms

Council Member John T. wrote to me after last summer’s ReLeaf Conference. He was surprised that in the conversations he had with other ReLeaf folks, there was little to no awareness of the Asian jumping worm (Amynthas agrestis) and how damaging it is to forests, including, one could assume, the urban forest.

Last summer, for the first time, I noticed that my compost-enriched vegetable garden soil seemed excessively granulated, and the soil was subsiding and drying out faster than usual. Turns out, the granulation was the worm castings of the voracious eater, Amynthas agrestis. I’ve since seen the big worms, and now I shudder when they appear. Read on to see why it’s now my mission to rid my garden of these worms, and why the Asian jumping worm is a concern for foresters throughout much of the country. 

Harvesting an Invasive Aquatic Plant?

Water chestnut (Trapa natans) is an established invasive plant that, like many other non-native plants, escaped a cultivated life in the 1870’s to spread and grow into new territories beyond the small garden in which it once existed. Lacking any major herbivores to consume the fruit or plant, its growth consumes wide areas of water, creating impassable dense mats. The establishment of this species, if left unchecked, can severely limit boating, fishing, hunting, swimming, and other recreational activities on the water.  

New Recommendations for Disposal of Invasive Plant Material

Monitoring for and treating invasive terrestrial plants are some of the more important things you can do to take care of Vermont’s working forests and natural areas. Effective July of 2016, yard and leaf debris were banned from landfills, including material from invasive plant control.

For any questions regarding invasive plant disposal, contact the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Waste Management & Prevention Division at: (802) 828-1138, or vtrecycles.com.