In a letter to the Charlotte Select Board last month, members of the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge, the Lewis Creek Association and the Charlotte Conservation Commission asked the board to consider an offer by Chittenden County Forester Keith Thompson to map non-invasive plant species. And this week the select board agreed to take part.
Thompson plans to map non-native invasive plant species for towns in southern Chittenden County and provide recommendations for managing the invasive species on municipal properties. The letter states Thompson is offering this service free of charge, under the condition that the towns agree to heighten public awareness about the problem and consider possible measures to address the issue. The letter to the Charlotte board states:
The only requirement is that upon completion of the plan, the Selectboard thoughtfully reviews and considers the recommendations for stewardship, and that the local outreach related to non-native invasive plants and forest health continues at or above the current levels.
The conservation groups behind the letter specifically asked the select board to consider Thompson's offer for nine town properties:
- Burns Property
- Whaley Woods
- Town Pound
- Charlotte Beach
- Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge
- Galbraith Property
- Thompson’s Point
- Town Hall
- Plouffe Lane
We are making this request now because it is our belief that the health of our community is inextricably linked to the health of the land and forests within and around it. Invasive plants pose a threat to the resilience of our town and the ability of our forests to heal from fragmentation, wind damage, flooding, pest damage, poorly executed timber harvesting or abandonment of open land. Where non-native plants displace native plant communities, infestations can reduce the value of wildlife habitats, favor high tick populations, reduce forest productivity and biodiversity, limit recreational opportunities and result in erosion hazards. It is our hope to minimize the problems caused by infestations of non-native plants in the town.
The select board endorsed the letter at its meeting Monday night.
