Newtown's Invasive Plant Ban
Why is a town ban necessary?
Invasive, non-native species are considered one of the greatest threats to our environment. The damage they have already caused to natural ecosystems and the economy has cost governments, private land trusts, and landowners billions of dollars each year. Reducing their presence on all town properties is just one step in the larger effort to reversing this very critical and costly problem.
Since some nurseries and garden centers in Connecticut continue to sell cultivars of potentially invasive plants and banned and potentially invasive plants can be purchased from out of state nurseries, it is necessary that the Town of Newtown have a policy banning their purchase and installation on Town properties.
The following was passed by the Newtown Board of Selectmen on November 6, 2017:
The Town of Newtown endorses the ban of all plants on the Connecticut Invasive Plant List on town-owned properties. The List includes both Invasive and Potentially Invasive Plants as determined by the Connecticut Invasive Plants Council in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes §22a-381a through §22a-381d. As this List is reviewed and revised annually by the CT Invasive Plants Council, any updates will be immediately incorporated into the Town of Newtown’s Invasive Plant Ban. All town departments are directed to consult the List before considering any new plantings on town-owned land.
Connecticut Invasive Plant List (2018)
Since some nurseries and garden centers in Connecticut continue to sell cultivars of potentially invasive plants and banned and potentially invasive plants can be purchased from out of state nurseries, it is necessary that the Town of Newtown have a policy banning their purchase and installation on Town properties.
The following was passed by the Newtown Board of Selectmen on November 6, 2017:
The Town of Newtown endorses the ban of all plants on the Connecticut Invasive Plant List on town-owned properties. The List includes both Invasive and Potentially Invasive Plants as determined by the Connecticut Invasive Plants Council in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes §22a-381a through §22a-381d. As this List is reviewed and revised annually by the CT Invasive Plants Council, any updates will be immediately incorporated into the Town of Newtown’s Invasive Plant Ban. All town departments are directed to consult the List before considering any new plantings on town-owned land.
Connecticut Invasive Plant List (2018)
Further Reading
- Bobowick, Kendra. "Mile-A-Minute Vine Invades Fairfield Hills" The Newtown Bee. October 17, 2017. https://newtownbee.com/mil-a-minute-vine-invades-fairfield-hills/.