It is hard to believe that the Forest Hero! Network is fast approaching its 1st birthday! To celebrate, we'd like to share with everyone, the good work that volunteers are completing in their communities. If you are working on a project and would like to help inspire others who may be seeking ideas, please write in and we'll share in future newsletters! 

To learn more about the Network, and if you’d like to learn about other training opportunities, stay tuned to this website: https://vtinvasives.org/forest-hero-network

Amur Maple, Acer ginnala, belongs to the Sapindaceae family, which now includes previous members of Aceraceae (maple family). It is native to northern China and Japan, and was introduced into North America in 1860. Beginning in the 1950s, Amur Maple was reported as “locally established”.

There has been a new detection of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Derby Line, Vermont. This is the first confirmed detection in Orleans County.

When recalling a drive down a dusty country road, you might remember seeing round green shrubs speckled with small white flowers, in otherwise empty grazing paddocks, or along farm fields. This plant is called multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) and is a perennial shrub within the Rose family, Rosaceae. The name, multiflora, means “many flowered”, and its nickname, “rambler rose” perhaps comes from its tendency to spread from cane or seed.

The 2018 Vermont Habitat Stamp Annual Report, released earlier this winter, highlights the conservation power of the multiplier effect – where one action can be a catalyst for other actions and the effects keep radiating out. This past year, over $110,000 were raised from donations and were then used to leverage an additional $143,000 in federal funds. This created a total reserve of over $253,000 to be used for habitat conservation by the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The growing season for 2018 saw many projects across the state tackling the forest, field, and wetland health issue of non-native invasive plants. Below are highlights of some of these amazing local efforts. Huge thanks to everyone who is working toward making our Vermont landscapes healthier and more resilient, and protecting them for generations to come.