SWEET needs volunteers to stop seeding of Oriental BIttersweet vine Tangle

SWEET needs volunteer to help at the "Tangle" which is a huge infestation of Oriental Bittersweet vines which have engulfed other plant species and killed or completely canopied trees along Concord Road, wedged between this busy road and the LSRHS property.

The goal will be to bag Oriental Bittersweet stems with fruits in the northern most area of this location which is flat enough to work and is adjacent to a better habitat with sugar maples. The toxic fruits- do not eat! each contain 2 or 3 seeds and 75-85% germinate. Last fall through winter, we collected 30 feed bags of fruited stems. One bag held over 10,000 fruits. We did the Math and decided it was time to stop the annual seed dispersal here to protect other good habitat areas nearby. Birds eat the fruit with the seeds, but they are not digested and the seeds are passed with the waste of the birds just to grow elsewhere.

Volunteers will use hand-cutters to bag the stems with fruits, may be asked to use weed wrenches to remove roots or to help carry tools, supplies and bags back and forth. Please wear long pants, appropriate shoes for a slope, bug spray and bring a thermost and lunch or snack. We supply tools, gloves and enthusiasm.

If interested, please contact us and give notice of your plan to participate. Call Rebecca at (978)505-1301 or get in touch with our group by sending an email to SWEETinvasives@gmail.com.  Parking must be determined just prior to the work party. There are two different locations we could park due to the large of amounts of rain we have had recently.