By Dave Keane
A new type of invasive water chestnut species has been found in northern Virginia. Trapa bispinosa has been discovered in 54 locations and 5 counties in Virginia. Currently, it’s the only state in the country that has this new species. Visit chesapeakebaymagazine.com for the full story.
Earlier this year, the spring house that supplies our fish pen with water had an outbreak of Watercress, Nasturtium officinale. Watercress is a very aggressive invasive aquatic plant that can quickly colonize and overwhelm waterways. Watercress is actually an edible plant that thrives in cold spring water. Fountain Rock Park in Walkersville was once a site where watercress was farmed and then sold at markets in Baltimore. Aquatic invasive plants can be spread by waterfowl, humans, and seasonal flooding. These plants reproduce rapidly and can choke out streams, ponds, and waterways threatening aquatic life and organisms.