A Michigan State University botanical technologist and graduate student has galvanized a group to manage the area's problem plants.
When botany expert and grad student Carolyn Miller hatched a plan to rid Michigan State of invasive flora and protect its native species from being overrun, the university was simply letting "nature take its course," according to the school's newsroom.
Miller worried that if she didn't take charge, no one would. "We have to take care of these native plants and insects, because nobody else is going to do it," she told the university paper. "And once people start looking closely, they really want to help."
It appears that Miller was right. Her passion, according to the university's newsroom, invigorated a team of staff and students eager to follow her lead. They now regularly inspect area woodlots and bird sanctuaries to identify and remove invasive plants and trees, including cinnamon vine and kudzu.
The State of Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management once named cinnamon vine the "Invasive Plant of the Month." And kudzu has become pervasive in various parts of the United States, often requiring enormous efforts to remove.
Initiatives like Miller's also exist in places like California, Wisconsin, and England, among others. Such projects typically aim not only to remove invasive plants but also to replace them with native species, fostering a healthy and biodiverse ecosystem. Another goal is to support mutually beneficial pollinators, such as bees and butterflies.
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Individuals can take on these efforts by making changes to their own homes and gardens, replacing conventional lawns with native grasses and planting native wildflowers in their yards. These landscaping projects can benefit homeowners directly and in multiple ways. Native lawns and gardens tend to require much less maintenance and water, saving homeowners money in the long run.
Bisia Love, a student who volunteers with Miller, is a great example of how one person's passion can inspire another's. "Her passion just speaks out," Love told the university for its coverage of the initiative. Love went on to say, "It's the combination of her expertise and enthusiasm that keeps volunteers coming back."
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