Invasive Plant Species Management

The Foundation is continuing its efforts in managing invasive plants.  One particularly problematic invasive located within the park is Mile-a-Minute (Persicaria perfoliata).  An initial step to eradicating this aggressive annual is locating infestations using GPS coordinates.  This past summer South Huntington High School student John Probert mapped locations of Mile-a-Minute in the western section of the park. These GPS locations will allow volunteers to locate and eradicate small infestions this coming summer.  In addition to John’s work NYS Park’s Invasive Species Specialist Bob O’Brien visited Caumsett Preserve in July to assess invasive plant populations through out the park and provide guidance for their control.  Regional parks personnel, the Foundation Environmental Committee and several volunteers attended this field inspection.  Recommendations resulting from this inspection have been incorporated into the Foundation’s invasive plant management efforts.  

Invasive plants also compromise grassland habitat; on Long Island grasslands have all but disappeared.  One casualty of this habitat loss is grassland birds.  In fact, grassland birds have been declining faster that any other habitat species group in the northeastern United States.  This trends mirrors those observed throughout Long Island.

Caumsett Preserve provides a unique opportunity on Long Island to restore and maintain grassland habitat in a protected location. The Foundation has begun discussions with NYS Parks regional environmental representatives to plan native grassland restoration in the southwest fields.  It is hoped that restoration of these fields will provide suitable habitat for grassland birds such as Eastern Meadowlark and Bobolink.