Stamford Land Conservation Trust Seeks Help To Remove Knotweed

STAMFORD, CT — The Stamford Land Conservation Trust (SLCT) is seeking help in clearing an invasive type of knotweed on Woods End Road at 10 a.m. on June 5.

Japanese Knotweed, or reynoutria japonica, is one of the most invasive species in the United States, crowding out native plant species. The patch the SLCT will be working on is located between 65 and 99 Woods End Road in Stamford.

"This is going to be our third year moving this patch of knotweed. When we first started, it was about 14 feet tall, a monoculture growing along the side of Woods End Road," said SLCT Chief Steward, Aubrey Carter. "We knocked it back the first year, last year we pulled it out and knocked it back again, and planted one area with native wildflowers. The wildflowers took, they're doing well, but the knotweed is still coming back as strong as ever. We're going to pull out the knotweed and put more wildflowers there."

Carter said the hope is that the wildflowers will help with shade, so sunlight is unable to reach the knotweed shoots.

"What we're trying to do is slowly convert this invasive plant into a diverse wildflower meadow that will serve insects and birds from spring through fall, instead of having knotweed blooming in the late summer," Carter said.

Carter noted that the project is also somewhat of an experiment, as he's never tried to convert any area like this into something so native and ecologically diverse.

"We're kind of running a small experiment here over half a decade in real time, and we're getting feedback on what works and what doesn't," he added.

Residents who want to volunteer are asked to park on Woods End Road, and bring gloves and wear closed-toed shoes. SLCT will provide tools.