Prevent the Spread of Non-Native Aquatic Hitch Hikers
  • Hand remove all materials (plant or animal) from equipment and dispose of it far away from the water. Pay special attention to the bunks or rollers where the boat is seated on the trailer as well as the trailer hitch.
  • Wash and dry all equipment before reuse. Hose off the boat, diving gear and trailer.
  • Drain and flush engine, cooling system and live wells, bait buckets and the buoyancy control device from diving equipment that has been in contact with a water body.
Purple Loosestrife

Purple Loosestrife Purple loosestrife is a hardy, aggressive, non-native wetland plant. It is a highly competitive plant that is capable or rapid growth and spread. Purple Loosestrife It displaces native plants,reduces biodiversity, degrades wetland habitats and chokes rivers and streams.

Purple Loosestrife One way to keep purple loosestrife under control is to pull and cut the plants before they go to seed. Purple Loosestrife BRWA vounteers did just that on the Mill River and the Blackstone Canal in Uxbridge. Volunteers filled 9 trash bags on the Mill River and 4 trash bags on the Blackstone Canal.



In Massachusetts the purple loosestrife biocontrol project was started in 2000. The intent of the project is to release Galerucella beetles throughout Massachusetts to investigate the efficacy of purple loosestrife biocontrol and build a volunteer-based capacity to undertake beetle propagation, releases and monitoring.

For more informtion on purple loosestrife and how to illiminate it, visit the Department of Conservation adn Recreation web page

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Asian Water Chestnut
  • The annual, rooted floating leaved non-native plant that can form dense impenetrable mats at the water’s surface.
  • The green triangular 2-4 cm wide floating leaves form rosettes are attached to the main stem by an inflated petiole (leaf stem).
  • The upper side of the leaves is waxy and shiny and the underside is coated with fine hairs. An air bladder is located at the base of the floating leaves, and the leaf margins are wavy.
  • The submerged leaves are feathered and whorled around the stem.
  • The slender stems can reach lengths of 15 feet.
  • Small white flowers with 4 petals develop from July until the first frost.
  • Nuts are 3 cm large and armed with 4 very sharp ½” barbs.