As a Hudson Valley-based invasive species removal and landscape restoration company, we are constantly out in the field, helping homeowners, businesses, municipalities and land organizations manage their property and keep their environments clear of the creep of invasive species. However, there are many great developments to catch up with online that show the range of efforts being made to manage invasive species.
Here are five of them that came across our radar over the last year:
1. The DEC’s Giant Hogweed program
Since 2008, the DEC has run a Giant Hogweed program due to its status as a noxious, invasive weed. In 2024, the DEC reported that partners like Lower Hudson PRISM and Capital Region PRISM both were involved in controlling over 650,000 giant hogweed plants across 1,039 statewide states. The report confirms that active giant hogweed management is ongoing in our region.
2. Mohonk Preserve Targets the Spotted Lanterfly (and Ailanthus)
In 2024, the NYS Invasive Species Grant Program awarded over $2.9M for 43 projects statewide. In our neck of the woods, Mohonk Preserve in New Paltz was awarded funds for early detection, rapid response and control measures to target the spotted lanternfly, and Mohonk is planning drone surveys this year to specifically identify the lanternfly’s preferred habitat, the invasive “tree of heaven” or ailanthus.
3. Cary Institute of Ecosystems Researches Invasives on Catskills Hiking Trails
In January of 2025, a Catskill Science Collaborative Fellow named Maura Vander Putten investigated the dispersal of six invasive plant species along 24 hiking trails within Catskill Park, with a focus on garilic mustard, Japanese knotweed, Japanese barberry, periwinkle, honeysuckle and mile-a-minute vine. The article found that garlic mustard was the most frequently encountered species on trails, usually around parking lots and then a half-mile into trails. The author suggests that hiker activity, such as from carrying seeds on footwear from parking lots, is the main vector that is spreading garlic mustard, and recommends that boot brush stations at trailheads could help mitigate the dispersal.
4. Hastings-on-Hudson Invasive Plant Removal Initiative
Hastings Green is a hub for sustainability initiatives in the Westchester town of Hastings-on-Hudson. Last year, with funding from a micro-grant, local youth led an effort to create a crowdsourced map of local invasive plants, developed an information website, and had a community invasive plant removal session in October. They found many of the most common culprits that afflict the Hudson Valley, including english ivy, bittersweet, honeysuckle, mile-a-minute, multiflora rose, and more.
5. Scenic Hudson Writes About Impact of Deer on Forests
Scenic Hudson recently wrote an article in their Viewfinder Magazine covering the relationship between deer overpopulation and the proliferation of invasive plant species. When deer are overpopulated, they tend to overgraze on native species, which leaves the door wide open for invasive species to spread.
