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Huron Pines hosting purple loosestrife workshop

Courtesy Photo Purple loosestrife blooms in late July/early August.

Huron Pines is hosting a two-part workshop in early August focused on purple loosestrife, a prolific invasive plant species found in wetland areas, along shorelines, riverbanks and in ditches throughout Northern Michigan. Purple loosestrife can spread quickly, crowding out native plants and providing little nutritional value for wildlife. The two-part workshop will cover an introduction to the species and how to identify it, followed by information on how to collect and report data on purple loosestrife found in the region. Proper data collection and reporting provides organizations like Huron Pines with critical information to monitor and prevent the spread of invasive species.

The two-session virtual event is scheduled from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. this Tuesday and Thursday and will be hosted through Zoom. It is open to ages 14 and up.

Register by visiting huronpines.org/events. Participants must attend Session 1 in order to participate in Session 2.

Tuesday’s session will cover how and when purple loosestrife was introduced to North America, what makes it invasive, how to properly identify it and distinguish it from common look-alikes. The second session on Thursday will build on the first by teaching participants how to report purple loosestrife found in the wild or on their own property to help local organizations monitor its spread and prioritize treatment.

The workshop will be hosted by Huron Pines Environmental Education Coordinator Emily Vogelgesang and Huron Pines AmeriCorps member Jennifer Klemm.

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