The newly published Maine Invasive Plants Field Guide has been selling like hotcakes! People want to know more about invasive plants in Maine because these plants crowd out native trees in our forests, form monocultures in wetlands, over-grow productive fields and pastures, and create dense thickets favorable for disease-carrying ticks. 

This field guide is waterproof, fits in a cargo or vest pocket, and covers 46 invasive plant species. Each species account includes photos and details about identification, range, similar species, control strategies, invasiveness, and status.

Copies can be ordered by calling 207-287-2801 and paying by credit card, or by using this order form. Cost including tax and shipping is $30.  

Maine Invasive Plants Field Guide also includes a comprehensive section on how to manage invasive plants, Integrated Pest Management, prioritization, assessment, manual and herbicide control, disposal, and monitoring.  Each landowner or land manager can make a difference through careful invasive plant management which improves habitat for beneficial native plants, insects, and other wildlife.

The Maine Advisory List of Invasive Plants has been recently revised and officially endorsed by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF). The Advisory List is a useful tool for landowners, land managers, foresters, and other natural resource professionals because it includes all invasive plants (not just those arriving via horticulture), and plants are ranked according to their invasive threat. The Advisory List is separate from DACF’s Do Not Sell list, which is a regulatory list of invasive plants previously in the horticulture trade.

These new resources help landowners make informed decisions about invasive plant management on their woodlots, farms, or natural areas. DACF-MNAP encourages landowners and land managers to check for invasive plants, report them using the online mapping tool iMapInvasives, and take action to control them.  

For more information visit the invasive species website at www.maine.gov/dacf/mnap/

Media contact: Jim Britt, jim.britt@maine.gov, (207) 287-3156