JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2025) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District has a team dedicated to combating invasive species. This small but industrious team rounds up, clears, and wrangles Invasive Flora and Fauna throughout Florida.
During National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW), February 24-28, USACE, along with its state, federal, and local partners, would like Floridians to come out and learn how slow the spread of invasive species affecting our state’s natural resources and economy.
USACE, biologist Jessica Spencer and Kaitlyn Dietz, collaboration coordinator for the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, volunteer to co-chair the First Coast Invasives Working Group (FCIWG) and team up with The Garden Club of America to host the First Coast’s local Weed Wrangles.
What is a Weed Wrangle? The Weed Wrangle is a statewide effort to help rescue our public parks and green spaces from invasive species through hands-on removal of especially harmful trees, vines and flowering plants.
“Most importantly,” adds Spencer, “It is a great opportunity to welcome our community to come out and learn about our local natural areas and how non-native/ invasive plants impact them.”
The FCIWG has been working on invasive plant management in first coast communities since 2006. At the 2024 Weed Wrangle the FCIWG site captains, and their posse of volunteers, wrangled tuberous sword fern, wild taro, and coral ardisia. The nine site captains estimated they managed to treat 9.8 acres. Over the past 10 years, the First Coast Invasive Working Group and their volunteers have removed thousands of pounds of invasive plants from local parks, preserves and beaches.
What types of plants might we be wrangling? The FCIWG co-chairs say, “This year the target plants will be coral ardisia, caesarweed, Japanese climbing fern, tuberous sword fern, arrowhead vine, wild taro, kalanchoe, camphor tree, and air potato.”
Consumers can purchase some of these plants unknowingly at local stores, which is why education is important.
“Our job is to make the public aware of why it is important to avoid (& remove) invasive plants in their landscapes,” says Spencer. “Each year, we use National Invasive Species Awareness Week to spotlight particular plants and encourage action by our neighbors, friends, and family in controlling the invasive species in their local natural areas and understanding how these plants can easily spread from their backyards into our natural areas.”
Invasive species cause significant economic and social impacts on agriculture, public infrastructure, private property values, and our wild and natural Florida ecosystem.
Spencer emphasizes, “When participants see the impact that these invasive plants are having in our natural areas, they have a better understanding of how non-native, invasive plants in their landscaping can cause problems on neighboring properties.”
How can I help? Dietz and Spencer encourage our first coast community to come out and join FCIWG on one or both days.
When: Saturday, February 22, from 9 am to 12 pm
Where: Mary Street Beach Access (St. Augustine), 11th and Broome (Fernandina Beach), Fort Caroline National Memorial, Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park, Beach and Peach Park (Jacksonville), and Camp Chowenwaw (Green Cove Springs).
or
When: Saturday, March 1
Where: Vilano Beach (St. Augustine), Tree Hill Nature Center (Jacksonville), University of North Florida, Hanna Park (Atlantic Beach), Atlantic Recreation Center for various Fernandina Beach locations, Walter Jones Historic Park (Jacksonville).
What to bring: Wear sunscreen, a hat, and any other sun protection you need. You are also encouraged to bring your own water and gardening gloves if you have a pair.
What to expect: Come join the Weed Wranglers for an hour or a few!
Spencer and Dietz two of the many dedicated partners and volunteers with the group, who act and work to address invasive prevention, early detection, and education.
USACE and its partners at FCIWG would like you to plant native plants and beware of invasive plants hiding in plain sight in your backyards, local stores and your community.
To learn more, visit: www.saj.usace.army.mil/InvasiveSpecies, and to get involved with your local Weed Wrangles, visit the events page of the Florida Invasive Species Council at: https://www.floridainvasives.org/upcoming-events/
To learn more about native alternatives to some of the more common invasive landscape plants in Northeast Florida, visit:
https://www.fnps.org/assets/pdf/pubs/alternatives.pdf. To learn more about USACE’s Jacksonville Districts Invasive Species Management Branch https://www.saj.usace.army.mil/InvasiveSpecies.
Contact
Brigida I. Sanchez
904-232-1613
brigida.i.sanchez@usace.army.mil
701 San Marco Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32205