Here’s a long-overdue update on the Alma Knotweed Eradication Project! After our first field season, we’re starting to see how well our treatment worked. We continued surveying the village for sites, and repeatedly cut the sites we found (some more often, some less) to exhaust the plant's energy reserves.
- There are now 88 identified knotweed sites in the village of Alma. We continue to work with property owners to address all sites – the more complete our treatment, the more effective it will be.
- We cut over 230,000 knotweed stems in 2021!
- We hosted two volunteer days and had a great turn out! We’d like to give a huge thank you to our volunteers: Lee Warnock, Vicki Atkins, Donna Pittman, Rick and Paula Lonsdale, Dean and Catherine Rhyno, and William MacCallum. Your enthusiasm was infectious and your questions and feedback were incredibly helpful. We hope to see you again in 2022!
- We tracked the number of stems each time we performed a cut, and found that the peak growth of knotweed in Alma happens between the end of June and mid-July.
-Sites that were cut at least twice before peak growth grew back less by the end of the season – a very encouraging sign!
- Knotweed that was cut more often started growing leaves closer to the ground, rather than spending energy growing tall first. Their rhizomes (roots) were also easier to remove. More encouraging signs!
- A huge thank you as well to all of our project partners: the Village of Alma, the Friends of Fundy, the Alma Recreation Council, Holy Whale Brewing & Buddha Bear Coffee Roaster, and Muddy Rudder. This season would not have been as successful without you – your support means the world to us!
We have some big plans in the works for 2022 – including more volunteering opportunities. If you’re interested in getting involved in any way, please reach out to us at [email protected].
- There are now 88 identified knotweed sites in the village of Alma. We continue to work with property owners to address all sites – the more complete our treatment, the more effective it will be.
- We cut over 230,000 knotweed stems in 2021!
- We hosted two volunteer days and had a great turn out! We’d like to give a huge thank you to our volunteers: Lee Warnock, Vicki Atkins, Donna Pittman, Rick and Paula Lonsdale, Dean and Catherine Rhyno, and William MacCallum. Your enthusiasm was infectious and your questions and feedback were incredibly helpful. We hope to see you again in 2022!
- We tracked the number of stems each time we performed a cut, and found that the peak growth of knotweed in Alma happens between the end of June and mid-July.
-Sites that were cut at least twice before peak growth grew back less by the end of the season – a very encouraging sign!
- Knotweed that was cut more often started growing leaves closer to the ground, rather than spending energy growing tall first. Their rhizomes (roots) were also easier to remove. More encouraging signs!
- A huge thank you as well to all of our project partners: the Village of Alma, the Friends of Fundy, the Alma Recreation Council, Holy Whale Brewing & Buddha Bear Coffee Roaster, and Muddy Rudder. This season would not have been as successful without you – your support means the world to us!
We have some big plans in the works for 2022 – including more volunteering opportunities. If you’re interested in getting involved in any way, please reach out to us at [email protected].