The Hudson Highlands Land Trust and Putnam Highlands Audubon Society paired up for a volunteer workday at the deRham Watergrass Sanctuary July 12 during New York State’s first Invasive Species Awareness Week.
HHLT’s Matt Decker explained invasive black swallowwort is particularly dangerous to monarch butterflies, as the monarchs mistake it for milkweed when laying their eggs. When the larvae hatch, the black swallowwort provides no nutrition, and the newly born die. Volunteers collected and bagged invasive plants and cleared the main trail. Everyone is welcome to come along on future volunteer cleanup days.
