Fair Haven Invasive Species

What is an invasive species?

Invasive species has a specific definition: A non-native species that causes harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. It is often thought that the terms 'invasive' and 'non-native' can be used interchangeably, but this is not always the case.

Since we are not authorities on invasive species, we follow guidelines from Federal, State, and local (Monmouth County) agencies to help us identify species we are trying to irradicate via natural means to help native species thrive. The top invasive species we've identified in our little 18-acre track are:

• Knotweed

• Porcelein Berry

• Multiflora Rose

• Spotted Lantern Fly

• English Ivy

• Oriental Bittersweet

• Ailanthus Altissima "tree of heaven" (an invasive tree...what?)

• Poison Hemlock

• Japanese Honeysuckle

• Devil's Walking Stick

• Garlic Mustard

• Chinese Wisteria

• Norway Maple (wait...another tree is an invasive species?)

Links to Common Invassive Species in Monmouth County NJ

Japanese Knotweed www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/plants/japanese-knotweed

Multiflora Rose www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/plants/multiflora-rose

Oriental Bittersweet www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/plants/oriental-bittersweet

Porcelain Berry

Poison Hemlock

• Kudzu (Pueraria montana) was introduced to the United States in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. It was promoted as a forage crop, an ornamental plant, and a check on erosion. This species is recognized as highly invasive. It can grow up to a foot a day allowing it to easily outcompete and kill other plants including trees and shrubs. It even grows over power lines and poles causing damage that results in the loss of power to communities.

Pest

A pest is any organism that damages infrastructure (e.g., buildings, roads, etc.) or natural or cultural resources (e.g., historic buildings, museums, etc.) or that threatens human health or safety. A pest can be native or non-native, and all invasive species are considered pests.

• In the U.S., spotted lanternfly is an invasive species that could be very devastating to some New Jersey crops and hardwood trees. New Jersey populations were first detected in 2018 and are currently primarily distributed along the state's border with Pennsylvania. In response, the NJ Department of Agriculture has issued an eight-county quarantine. People and businesses travelling in and out of these counties (Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Salem, Somerset, and Warren) should inspect their vehicles for hitchhiking SLF as well as inspect outdoor items such as firewood, paving stones, lawn equipment, etc. for egg masses (see checklist (PDF | 222 KB)). Quarantine compliance will reduce the spread of SLF to new areas and counties thereby protecting New Jersey resources including forests and agriculture.

• The white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) is a native species throughout the United States. When found in nature, the mouse is an integral part of the ecosystem. However, when found in and around structures, the mouse poses significant threats to resources and human health, and it is considered to be a pest.

• Fire ants (Solenopsis spp.) can be both native to some areas of the US and invasive to other areas. When in a setting like a campground, fire ants are considered to be pests, regardless of whether they are native or invasive.

Range-Expanding Species

Organisms whose current ranges are growing or shifting over time are range-expanding species. These changes can happen to both native and non-native species with or without human assistance.

• Nine-banded armadillos used to occur south of the Mexican border. They were not able to expand into the United States due to large rivers, like the Rio Grande, and grasslands acting as barriers to their expansion. As water has been diverted from the Rio Grande, and grasslands have been removed, nine-banded armadillos have expanded into the United States, and can now be found as far north as Missouri and as far east as Florida. For these reasons, the nine-banded armadillo is considered a range expanding species.

• Coyotes (Canis latrans) are native to a large swath of the western and central U.S.; however, their range has expanded east due to the declines in numbers of wolves and mountain lions, reduction in hunting, and reduction in forests across the eastern U.S. They can currently be found in all states, except Hawaii.

Aquatic species live in water, such as fish and shellfish.

Terrestrial species live on land, as opposed to water and air.