Invasive Plants Compromise Reached

CONNECTICUT - A tentative compromise agreement has been reached on the invasive plants issue between Connecticut landscape companies and the co-chairs of the legislature's Environment Committee.

According to a ruling, approved by a 7-2 vote of the Connecticut Invasive Plants Council with DEP Deputy Commissioner David Leff and Tom McGowan of the Connecticut Lakes and Rivers joining the majority, in addition to the seven aquatic plants banned last year, another 74 invasive plants will be banned in the state. And Connecticut towns would be prevented from adopting their own plant bans until October 1, 2005. As part of the agreement, 15 plants with an annual value of more than $20 million to the green industry will not be banned this year.

"The nursery industry has come a long way," Leff said before agreeing to the compromise proposed by CNLA past president Paul Larson. "Clearly we have to work with the industry in a gradual way."

Meanwhile, the Nature Conservancy reported it had secured $1.3 million in grants to eradicate the following invasive plants in Connecticut: barberry, purple loosestrife, bittersweet and phragmites.

The author is managing editor of Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at nwisniewski@gie.net.