Bishop’s Falls Fighting Purple Loosestrife The Advertiser, Grand Falls-Windsor, NL. Mon. Sept 30, 1996, By Michelle Jesso
SCHOOL, SCOUTS HELP COMBAT INFESTATION
The battle against the Purple Loosestrife continues to be waged in the Exploits Valley. The latest attempt to control the Invasive Purple Plant is in Bishop’s Falls, where the plant was first discovered in Central Newfoundland more than four years ago. Ed Kayler, an Extension Horticulturist with the Department of Forest Resources & Agrifoods, has voluntarily taken up the plight of reducing & eventually eliminating the existence of the plant in this area & calls upon community groups to assist in the effort. The beautiful flowering plant can easily fool people into making it an addition to their gardens but that act would not help the fight to get rid of the botanical nuisance.
Purple Loosestrife In A Garden, Spread From A Drainage Ditch In A Residential Area Of Charlottetown, Terra Nova National Park, NL
The Purple Loosestrife has distinguishing features upon close examination such as its height, which ranges from three to six feet; its stalk[s], which is square & woody; its leaves, which have smooth edges & are attached directly to the stalk; its flowers, which have long pink-purple spikes & bloom from June to September.
Once it gains a foothold in any wetland, it destroys the natural habitat.
Kayla Walsh Learned How To Remove Purple Loosestrife Plants Including The Flowers With Seeds & Roots In The Bishop’s Falls Area, Central Newfoundland.
Local Efforts
The Horticulturist was joined by the Fourth Knights of Columbus Scouts & Ventures Troops plus several Science Students of Helen Tulk Elementary School’s Global Education Program to nip the problem “in the bud” at the bottom of the middle access road leading into Bishop’s Falls. They were told by Mr. Kayler to keep an account of how many plants they dug up & were given Tally Sheets [See Bottom Of Page] for Recording The Number Of Flower Spikes & Plants plus shovels, scissors, garbage bags & crow bars to ensure the entire plant & root were recovered. “These are young plants which means we have a chance in controlling the population” said Mr. Kayler. “In some areas, the seeds have been there for a while. In this area, it is an intersection which has running water that can lead to spreading of seeds & infect other areas.” Mr. Kayler said the local effort displayed by the Scouting Group & the Schools’s Science Class is an education for them about the plant, what it does to the natural habitat & how it can be controlled.
Ed Kayler, An Extension Horticulturist With The Dept.Forest Resources & Agrifoods, Has Been Actively Involved In Trying To Control & Eliminate Purple Loosestrife In The Area. His Latest Project With The Help Of Scouting Troops & Helen Tulk Elementary Students, Was To Go Into Bishop’s Falls At The Bottom Of The Middle Access Road To Dig Up The Plants & Prepare Them For Composting.
He showed them how to remove the roots, which can grow as large as a football, dry them & place the plants in garbage bags to put into a compost pile, behind the local Catholic Church.”That way the Scouts can keep a close eye on the pile through out the year, ”said the Horticulturist. “The have their meetings there.”
By contributing to the efforts to control the plant population in that area, the volunteer groups benefit through education. The Scouts & Ventures usually have to complete Projects in order to earn Badges. In this case, they would be able to earn recognition for Community Service, Conservation, World Conservation & work towards their Chief Scout Badge.
For Helen Tulk Elementary, this is the fourth year it has been involved in the attack on Purple Loosestrife. Students involved in Global Education at the School, under Teacher Sandra Knight, plus three other Teachers, means they can work toward Earth Status in the Program. The School has already achieved Emerald Status, which means it has completed more than 600 Projects In Environmental Awareness. Their Aim is to complete 400 more to reach Earth Status.
Weed Control Research & Demonstration Program For Purple Loosestrife
Tally Sheet
Location Site Date
No. of Spikes of Blooms Per Crown Total
1 2 3 4 5 6 6+
No. of Stems Per Crown Total
1 2 3 4 5 6 6+
No. of Crowns Total
1 2 3 4 5 6 6+
Student Participants Coordinator
Contributing Organization or Institution
NL AgriFoods, Bishop’s Falls
The Sustainable Lawn 