Girl Scout troop teams with commission subcommittees to tackle invasive plants

Members of Girl Scout Troop 62031 of Merrimack told the Merrimack Conservation Commission they are pursuing a Girl Scout Climate Challenge project focused on identifying and removing invasive plants from town conservation properties.

"We want to learn about different types of invasive plants, and we want to learn about different spots in the community where they are so we can remove them from the community to help the environment," a troop member said during the public-comment portion of the meeting.

Commission representatives described existing subcommittees for Greater Woods, Horse Hill, Wasserman and the Sklar property and offered to connect the troop with subcommittee members for plant identification and site visits. The commission emphasized that invasive species require species-specific removal methods: some must be pulled up with the entire root system while others can be cut back annually.

Commissioners and subcommittee representatives suggested spring as the preferred season for many removal efforts, since some invasives reveal regrowth patterns once leaves emerge. The commission said it will notify the troop leaders about upcoming subcommittee meetings and potential volunteer opportunities. A commission member also noted the town has a volunteer policy and a parental consent form for minors; the form will be provided to troop leaders for any volunteer projects on town property.

No formal commission vote was taken; commissioners characterized the outcome as a community outreach and coordination effort to pair willing youth volunteers with subcommittee representatives and appropriate sites.