Environmentalists warn that the weed out-competes native plants and is a threat to forest regeneration.
Monroe’s Park Ranger/Tree Warden Dave Solek pulled and bagged the invasive plants for disposal after the infestation was reported by a research team led by Carole Cheah from the Connecticut Agricultural Department Experiment Station and the University of Connecticut.
Originating in Asia, the weed was first detected in 2000 in Greenwich. It has since spread to 46 communities in Connecticut, most of them in the southwestern area of the state, including Westport, New Canaan and Newtown.
Birds, wildlife and the movement of water disperse the vine.
With funding from the U.S. Agriculture Department, a biological control was initiated eight years ago by the research team, using weevils that feed on the leaves of the invasive. Reports also indicate the beetles are effective in curbing the weed.
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