Invasive plants

Mayday, or birdcherry, tree. Photo: Andrew ButkoAlaska’s lakes, streams and forests are, in many cases, much as they were before the industrial age, with the same species of trees, plants, fish and animals that would have been found here centuries ago. That’s all in danger of changing. Invasive plants on land and water can spread rapidly. It has already happened elsewhere in the US, often with devastating impacts on natural ecosystems. Here, there is more of a chance to snip the prob