The SUN Project-Saving Unionville Natives, is a UConn Master Gardener Community Outreach effort to eradicate invasive plants, protect natives, pollinators and biodiversity on part of the Farmington River Trail in Unionville, Connecticut and engage our community.
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Keep scrolling to learn about invasives, biodiversity, natives on the trail and strategies for invasives.
Why Do Invasives Matter?
Why Do Invasives Matter?
Invasives on the trail include mugwort, Artemesia vulgaris, (right), Japanese stilt grass, (upper left) and Asiatic bittersweet, (lower left) . The monoculture of mugwort on this part of the trail was particularly dense and is currently being solarized under a tarp to smother it. Other invasive plants on the trail not pictured here include winged euonymous, Japanese knotweed, multiflora rose, autumn olive, Morrow's honeysuckle, tree of heaven, Norway maple, and garlic mustard to name a few.
Invasives Are the Thugs of the Plant World
They are native in other parts of the world, often Asia or Europe.
They have no insects or diseases to threaten them here in North America.
Invasives spread rapidly, often through rhizomes, wind pollination and wildlife and produce many seeds.
They outcompete native plants for water, soil, light & nutrients.
Invasives offer little if any food or larval support for native pollinators.
Invasive plants eventually crowd out the native plants, and the local habitat is degraded or destroyed. With fewer native plants, there are fewer pollinators such as native bees, moths, butterflies, flies, wasps, bats and birds, and the local food web loses its integrity and biodiversity.
Did you know Connecticut has identifed more than 100 plants as invasive or potentially invasive in the state? See how many you know on the list: https://cipwg.uconn.edu/invasive_plant_list/
Impacts of Biodiversity Loss
Impacts of Biodiversity Loss
The variability of living organisms underpins all life on Earth: plants, animals, microorganisms and the complexity of ecosystems. Everything is interconnected and interdependent, from the fungi, microbes and other life forms in the soil to the groundcovers, herbaceous plants, woody shrubs, trees, birds, insects and other wildlife. All these life forms support and depend on each other for a healthy planet, including us. Loss of habitat and biodiversity along with climate change are the major environmental crises that are having a critical impact on the planet.
Ecosystem Resilience
Ecosystem Resilience
The degradation of the local food web reduces the resilience of our environment to respond to disruptions of climate change, disease outbreaks, the increase in invasives species and disappearance of native plants, insects and wildlife. According to Cornell University, since the 1970s we have lost nearly 30 percent of native birds. More than 22 percent of native pollinators, including bees, moths and butterflies, are at risk of extinction.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem Services
Losses in biodiversity reduce the services provided by our ecosystem, including water and air purification, soil formation, pollination, carbon sequestration (holding carbon in soil as a "carbon sink"). Deforestation increases greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and contributes to global warming.
Human Health
Human Health
Our well being depends on healthy ecosystems to help grow our food, provide fresh water and clean air. Loss of habitat can contribute to loss of livelihood, drinkable water, places to live, food security and medicines. Climate change is causing an increase in extreme heat and severe weather. These result in the devastating loss of lives and property damage that we see in the news on a regular basis.
What native plants are we trying to protect on the Farmington River Trail?
What native plants are we trying to protect on the Farmington River Trail?
Native plants are those that have naturally existed in an area since before the colonists arrived. They have co-evolved to thrive with their environment's local pollinators and food web and adapted to the climate, soils, and rainfall in the area. Many native pollinators are specialists, only finding nectar or pollen from specific native plants. The native plants, in turn, also depend on the native pollinators to survive.
Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca with Monarch butterfly
Tall Rattlesnake Root
Prenanthes trifoliata
Spotted Jewelweed
Impatiens capensis
Canada Goldenrod Solidago canadensis
Pokeweed
Phytolacca americana
Violet bushclover
Lespedeza violacea
Staghorn Sumac
Rhus typhina
Pale Jewelweed
Impatiens pallida
The plants pictured above are a few of the beautiful native species growing on the Farmington River Trail. Other native plants on the trail include trees such as sassafras, black cherry, black birch, shagbark hickory, red maple, sugar maple, red oaks, white pines, white oaks (which are pollinator powerhouses) and more. Protecting the native plants, insects and wildlife not only helps protect the environment, but improves the beauty and recreational value of our trail and town.
How do we get rid of invasives?
How do we get rid of invasives?
Reducing or eradicating invasive plants takes persistence and a variety of strategies. These include the following:
Cutting back plants to the ground repeatedly to prevent photosynthesis and seed development or pulling plants out of the ground
Digging up roots as completely as possible, which is difficult and laborious with most invasives plants, especially in a large area
Smothering the area where the plant is growing with an opaque tarp for a year or more to solarize the plants and kill them
As a last resort with some plants, painting the cut stub of the plant with properly used herbicide to kill roots while minimizing effects on nearby plants
Planting native plants to take the place of invasives that have been removed
Avoiding leaving soil bare where invasives can take root
Continual scouting for invasives to remove
“In nature nothing exists alone.” -Rachel Carson
© 2026 Saving Unionville Natives-SUN Project
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