Deb Fountain of Pepperell, Massachusetts, is making a difference in her community by teaching residents the difference between invasive and native plants, CBS News reported.
She began by joining the town's Master Plan Committee after her retirement. She recommended that the committee address the problem — a shared concern among communities across the nation — of invasive plants.
Invasive species are plants, animals, and other life forms that didn't evolve in a particular region but were introduced there from elsewhere. Sometimes, they arrive naturally, through means such as ocean currents or bird activity. However, in many cases, they are transported by humans, intentionally or unintentionally.
Just moving to a new place isn't enough for an invasive species to become a problem. The problem arises when a species thrives a little too well in that area. It likely doesn't have any natural predators there and may be able to seriously outcompete similar species in its niche. Left unchecked, species like this undergo a population explosion that can crowd out — or even directly prey on — native species, potentially leading to their extinction.
And there's a ripple effect, Fountain explained. "We have insects who are specialists, and they will only lay eggs on specific plants," she said, per CBS News. "If those plants are not around, the populations will decline. So, we're going to lose our insects. As the number of insects decline, we lose our bird population."
Massachusetts currently recognizes 36 invasive species and may soon add 70 more to the list. Plants like burning bush, multiflora rose, garlic mustard, and Asian bittersweet grow out of control throughout the area and must be removed by hand to allow more beneficial species to fill the void.
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For four years, that's what Fountain and the rest of Pepperell's Invasive and Native Plant Advisory Committee have been doing. This volunteer force plucks invasive plants, plants native species in their place, and educates the public on how to identify and effectively eradicate the problem species in the area.
The group's first major project was the library, where it removed a significant number of invasive species and planted asters, lobelia, goldenrod, and other native species in their place. The property now boasts a beautiful, handicap-accessible nature trail.
The group also hosted a Garlic Mustard Challenge to see who could fill the most bags.
"What's beautiful about this work is … you can see the difference," Marisa Browning-Kamins said, per CBS News. "I see the garlic mustard disappearing from my own streets."
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