This past summer marked the successful first season of a three-year effort to manage invasive plants on Department of Defense lands in New England. Working in partnership with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, American Conservation Experience (ACE) crews spent 14 weeks surveying, mapping, and treating invasive species at New Boston Space Force Station in New Hampshire and Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts.
Invasive plants are species that spread aggressively outside their natural range, often crowding out native vegetation and reducing the quality of habitat available to wildlife. Managing these plants begins with understanding exactly where they are growing and how extensively they have spread.
At New Boston Space Force Station, a six-person ACE crew surveyed and mapped nearly 87 acres, documenting the location and density of numerous invasive species. That information will help land managers prioritize future restoration efforts and track changes over the project's three-year span.
After completing surveys, crew members worked alongside installation staff to treat or remove invasive plants across nearly 11 acres. Their work targeted persistent species including Multiflora Rose, Autumn Olive, and Oriental Bittersweet. These plants can form dense growth that competes with native vegetation for sunlight, water, nutrients, and space.
The crew also supported the health of native ecosystems through additional monitoring and management work. Members collected seed pods from Black Swallow-wort to help prevent the invasive plant from spreading and surveyed stands of Hemlock trees to assess their condition following treatment for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, a small invasive insect that can severely damage Hemlock trees.
At Hanscom Air Force Base, another six-person ACE crew treated nearly four acres using several management techniques. Depending on the plant and conditions, members removed invasive vegetation by hand, applied targeted herbicide treatments using backpack sprayers, or used a “cut-stump†technique in which woody invasive plants are cut and carefully treated to prevent regrowth.
Beyond improving habitat, projects like these provide valuable opportunities for ACE members to build skills that can translate directly into conservation careers. Members gained hands-on experience in plant identification, invasive species management, ecological monitoring, mapping, data collection, and safe treatment techniques. Just as importantly, they strengthened skills in teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and working alongside professional land managers.
The first summer established an important foundation for the next two years. The data collected and areas treated will help guide future work as ACE, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Department of Defense installations continue working together to improve habitat and support healthier landscapes.
