Invasive Species Information

What are invasive species?

Invasive species are organisms that are not native to an environment whose introduction to the environment does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. In other words, invasive species have the potential to take over an area and steal nutrients and space from native species. Imagine if someone came into your home and ate all your food and slept in your bed? You would not be happy or healthy, and neither are plants when this happens to them. Invasive species also have no known predators or pests to control them, making them uncontrolled by nature. Invasive plants can change the quality of soil, interfere with public works, and can be harmful to native animals. Massachusetts and Norwood have specific invasive species that thrive in our environment depending on the season.

How do you identify and treat invasive species?

Invasive species can be hard to identify- we recommend looking at the individual fact sheets on our website and if need be consulting with the Conservation Commission to determine if you are being invaded! Invasive species are hard to treat but it is doable if they are identified early. Each individual invasive species has different protocol to remove and control it, outlined in the infographics below.

What are the advantages of native species?

Native species in Norwood have many advantages. They help to maintain the ecosystem they are a part of through symbiotic relationships, relationships in which both parties benefit. This can look like plants growing alongside one another to improve the soil or animals having access to their favorite food sources. Native species have often existed in the area for thousands of years and have natural predators and other checks that keep them from growing out of control.

Asiatic bittersweet
Autumn-olive
Black locust
Black swallow-wort
Burning bush
Garlic mustard
Honeysuckle (maackii, tatarica,
morrowii, bella Zabel species)
Japanese barberry
Japanese knotweed
Multiflora rose
Norway maple
Phragmites (australis species)
Porcelain berry
Purple loosestrife