June is Invasive Species Action Month, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is encouraging residents in Door County to be on the lookout for invaders in their yards and in the community. Learning how to identify them, properly treating the problem, and participating in removal is the key to preventing them from spreading.

On Saturday, June 21st, individuals can volunteer to help the DNR remove invasive plants in Ellison Bay. The community is invited to join park volunteer master naturalists for the Invasive Species Awareness Day Hike at Newport State Park from 10a.m. until 11:30a.m. During the hike, participants will learn more about invasive plants and collect them along the Lynd Point Trail for removal. For more information on the help day and what to bring, click here. 

“June is important because this is the time of year that is prime time and the growing season,” said Mackenzie Manicki, an Invasive Plant Specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, “there’s a lot of things that are flowering right now and it’s easy to go out and find something that’s invasive.”

Around the peninsula, the most common invasive varieties of plants include Garlic Mustard, Dame’s Rocket, Knotweeds, and Wild Parsnip, which can easily be found along the roadways. While some may seem like a simple weed, others can be harmful to more than just vegetation. 

“Wild Parsnips have a grooved stem, similar to how celery can look; it has yellow umbrel flowers, but if sap gets on your skin and is exposed to sunlight, it can cause blisters,” added Manicki.

For removal, Manicki recommends those with invasive species on their property to put anything they pull or cut, whether it’s seeds or flowers, in a clear plastic bag and label it as an invasive plant approved by the DNR for the landfill. Plastic bags will trap heat, which will impair the plant's viability. Manicki also advises against composting invasive plants and says the environment will just encourage them to spread.