Claire Lane

As long as humans have traveled across the earth, they have purposefully, and sometimes unknowingly, transported plants, animals, insects, and other organisms on their bodies, in shipping containers, on their shoes, etc. When an organism is brought to an area it did not traditionally grow, it is considered non-native. When a non-native species causes harm to the environment, human health, and the economy, it is considered an invasive species. Unfortunately, many invasive species can decimate the forest habitat where mushroom hunters seek morels, where wildlife seek out their dinner or a place to brood their young, or the forest or park habitat you take refuge in as a recreation space. Invasive species like Asian honeysuckle and garlic mustard are kept in check in their native ecosystems by a balance of predators and competing organisms. Outside of their natural habitat, in your favorite mushroom spot perhaps, they can take advantage of their new environment and completely outmatch their native predecessors.

For example, Japanese bush honeysuckle is an upright deciduous shrub which arching branches that grows 6 to 20 feet tall. It leafs out, or produces leaves, before our native shrubs in the spring and this advantage allows it to shade out native species like dogwoods and spring wildflowers. Honeysuckle forms dense thickets that are void of any other vegetation. This disrupts the food chain and habitat of all the insects, birds, and other wildlife that depend on the native species that can no longer grow there.

Garlic mustard is native to Europe and has a biennial life cycle, so it completes its life cycle over a two-year period with a basal rosette stage the first year and flowering in year two. When it does flower, each plant can produce thousands of seeds that can remain dormant in the soil for a decade. Not only does garlic mustard crowd out native spring ephemerals like trillium and violets, it also releases a chemical into the soil that hinders the growth of other plans. Garlic mustard plays to win in our forest ecosystem and often does.

Honeysuckle and garlic mustard are just two examples of the many invasive species that invade our woodlands and eliminate habitat for the species we do want—like morels! If you are a morel hunter, you belong in the fight against invasive species. Luckily, Hamilton County is launching a Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) dedicated to battling invasive species across our county. We are doing this through education and action, and we welcome you to join us. Our CISMA is made up of parks department and city representatives, master gardeners, environmental advocates, hunters, hikers, lovers of the outdoors, property owners, and everyone in between. Additionally, the SWCD is offering free on-site invasive species technical assistance for property owners (woodland/acreage properties get preference) in addition to our tool loan program where you can check out supplies to address invasive species. If you are a morel lover, invasive species matter! Be part of the solution and keep the hunt alive!