You are invited to participate in a community action day on Wednesday, September 3, 2025 at 210 Robinhood Road, Georgetown at  9:00 am.  The purpose is to teach volunteers how to identify stiltgrass, slow its spread and assist with its removal to protect Maine’s natural areas.  Volunteers are encouraged to bring gloves, water, friends, and a weedwacker if you have one.

Japanese stiltgrass is an invasive plant that poses a serious threat to the state’s forests, wetlands and commuities.  It was first detected in Maine in 2020.  Japanese stiltgrass has now been cofirmed in Sagadahoc and York Counties, with a new and concerning patch discovered in York this month.   Left unchecked this fast-spreading invader can overtake native plants, degrade soil health and even increase the risk of wildfires.

The plant grows 1-3′ tall and spread outward, producing thousands of tiny seeds that hitchhike on boots, tires, animals and equipmet such as lawmowers.  Seeds cn easily dtravel to new areas and sprout each year.

“Japanese stilgrass is one of the most aggressive invasive plants we’ve seen in Maine,” said Gary Fish, State Horticulturalist, with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF)  “It crowds out native species, alters the natural balance of our forests and leaves behind dry fuel that makes our woodlands more vulnerable to fire.  We need the public’s help to find and report it before it spreads further.”

For more information, on the event, please email:  Chad.Hammer@maine.gov.