Wild bush honeysuckle is producing thousands of red berries per bush, each one potentially a new bush, now ready for birds to eat and then "plant" somewhere--no nourishment for the birds, either. Purple loosestrife's beautiful tall red spikes are now in wet areas, along roadsides, some producing over a million seeds per plant. They crowd out cattails on which wildlife depends and are totally useless and destructive except for being beautiful, darn it!
Is this what we want? If you see a wild (tartarian) bush honeysuckle up close, you'll be amazed at its potential for proliferation. (There are samples in the Waitsfield Post Office and you can also Google them.)
Every little bit helps. Take pruning or lopping shears and a large trash bag, lop off whatever you can (or even hold a bag under and pick off berries) and take it to the dump or leave for trash pick-up. Obviously, not your compost! I've asked several homeowners to do it and they have. Pull off the roadsides and take what you can, smaller ones can be easily pulled out.
Let's all help our wildlife, and thanks!
Judy Larson DiMario
Fayston
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