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Commission discusses multi-year knotweed treatment, seeks professional quotes and coordination with town
Summary
Commissioners discussed treating invasive knotweed and potentially other species across multiple conservation parcels, and agreed to identify locations, consult Baystate Forestry or other licensed applicators, and coordinate with Parks & Recreation and DPW before soliciting quotes.
The Merrimack Conservation Commission discussed a plan to treat invasive Japanese knotweed and other invasive plants at several conservation parcels, including areas along Baboosic Brook and at Sklar/SCAR sites.
Commissioners said past treatment efforts used a licensed contractor (Baystate Forestry) and that effective control commonly requires multiple applications over several years. One commissioner said professional applicators advised treatments “for 3 to 5 years” and recalled prior, staged applications that included spraying late in the season and a follow-up the next year.
The commission agreed to start by cataloging known infestations using an open invasive-species database and to check historic treatment records with Community Development. Commissioners recommended consulting Parks & Recreation and the Department of Public Works to identify other town locations and to learn whether DPW has licensed applicators; earlier reports indicated DPW did not have licensed sprayers and had been using mechanical cutting for some sites.
Members noted constraints near waterways: knotweed fragments can move downstream in watercourses, and spraying close to water requires careful product choice and method. A commissioner said that glyphosate had been the herbicide used previously and that proximity to the Souhegan and Baboosic Brook would shape the method and timing. Commissioners also suggested coordinating public notice for beekeepers and other residents when spraying is scheduled.
The commission asked staff to compile infestation locations, historic treatment records, and contact information for qualified applicators, and to request estimates so the commission can evaluate costs and timing before authorizing work.
