Stinkwork!

This is Steve, my husband and very best friend. You would be forgiven for thinking he is dressed in his Halloween costume as a Ghostbuster.  But no, he's going out to kill stinkwort at our neighbor's across the street — don’t worry we asked and they are happy to see it go.

Stinkwort is a nasty, invasive plant that is quickly spreading into public and private open land. Why is this a problem? Many people are allergic to it. Some people experience itching when they brush up against it,  sometimes delayed by several hours. The itching is not as intense or long-lasting as poison ivy but still quite annoying. It also reproduces exponentially taking over vacant land and quickly driving out other plants, making the area generally unusable.

This year we've been seeing less stinkwort in our open spaces and along pathways, thanks in large part to one of our town's volunteer committees: the EDP (Environmental Design and Protection). Committee members have walked the town paths, noting on maps the locations of stinkwort patches so they can be eradicated. This is a process that is working well. This year, there are fewer and smaller patches of nasty stinkwort and it’s not spreading to the large open spaces such as Byrne Preserve. 

LAH will be continually battling stinkwort unless private landowners also eradicate it. This is a sticky situation: how do we encourage good land stewardship while also recognizing some residents don't want to spend the time or effort attacking the weeds on their property. Respecting property rights is a core principle of this town but beautiful open spaces are as well. Any suggestions?