Volunteers Sought to Map Invasive Plant at West Meadow Creek

Brookhaven officials are calling for volunteers to help identify and map an invasive plant species threatening West Meadow Creek. 

Councilman Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld is asking residents to volunteer to take part in identifying and mapping Perennial Pepperweed, a highly invasive plant species from southweastern Europe and Asia that has been found at several locations along the shore of West Meadow Creek in Stony Brook. 

"I have worked closely with West Meadow Beach Range and environmental educator Eileen Gerle to identify and remove many of these unwanted plants from the area, but without the help of volunteers these fast-growing plants could overtake the park and caus havoc for our environmentally sensitive wildlife, flora and fauna," Fiore-Rosenfeld said in a statement. 

A training session will be run by GEI Consultants and the town on March 9, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., at the Ward Melville Heritage Organization Education and Cultural Center. 

Anyone interested in volunteering should register with Gerle via email at egerle@brookhaven.org.