Ludwigia peploides eradication

[Melissa Almendinger]

NY Declares Success With Ludwigia Representatives of government and environmental groups announced the "successful eradication" of water primrose (Ludwigia peploides), an invasive South American plant that was choking off fish habitats in the Peconic River, NY. The movement to remove the plant from the river was launched in 2006. The plants began appearing in the river in 2003 and one theory traces its origin to its use as an ornamental in landscaped ponds. Officials credited not only inter-agency cooperation and grant money, but also 350 volunteers and 1,500 man-hours in the triumphant, three-year-long effort to clear Long Island's longest river. Although the spread of Ludwigia is currently contained, maintenance harvesting events still are necessary throughout the river to prevent its return, DEC officials emphasized. Five signs with pictures that outline the ongoing battle against the aquatic plant are placed at access points to the river, explaining how swimmers, kayakers and anglers can identify and remove the weed. "We've really knocked the weed back so that it's just a

sprig here and a sprig there, but if those sprigs are left, it will come back," said DEC fisheries manager Charles Guthries, explaining the idea behind the signs. They hope the signs will recruit users of the river to help pull the weed whenever they see it. Two "weed pulls" were also scheduled for July 11 and August 8. (Excerpted from Victory is declared in fight against invasive water plant, by Michael White, Riverhead News-Review July 2, 2009 [http://www2.timesreview.com/NR/stories/R070209_Invade_mw])