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<DIV>APWG:</DIV>
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<DIV>I just traveled back to central West Virginia after a couple of weeks visiting family and vacationing in New England.</DIV>
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<DIV>In the past couple of years I have become more aware of the identity of multiple invasive plants that are causing serious ecological damage throughout the eastern US.</DIV>
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<DIV>The Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) crosses the Berkshires of southwestern Massachusetts between Springfield, MA, and Albany, NY. A 30 mile stretch of the highway passes over some higher elevations and through a lot of wetland areas and swamps that have ecological significance.</DIV>
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<DIV>The road sides of I-90 are very well maintained. Unfortunately, the roadside maintenance crews are thinning around, mowing around and generally promoting patches of purple loosestrife. Although it does not appear that purple loosestrife is a general component of the wetlands along the I-90 corridor in the Berkshires, the way the plant is being promoted by highway maintenance crews will certainly allow it to thrive and spread.</DIV>
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<DIV>Is there any program in place that would alert organizations such as the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority of the destructive or invasive plants that may spread along their right of way corridor?</DIV>
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<DIV>Russ Richardson</DIV>
<DIV>Weston, WV </DIV></BODY></HTML>