“Best” resource? - Ask Extension
Hello, actively campaigning for native plants in my neighborhood (as part of FONTT.org) and wondering if there is a definitive paper/book/website (or ...
Knowledgebase
“Best” resource? #923316
Asked January 05, 2026, 7:27 AM EST
Hello, actively campaigning for native plants in my neighborhood (as part of FONTT.org) and wondering if there is a definitive paper/book/website (or two) that delineate why and how invasives are harmful in a scientific, evidence-based fashion with which to arm myself when advocating to truculent neighbor!
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
The good news is, there are a number of resources you could look into to assist you but it is difficult to recommend 1 or 2.
We have quite a few webpages you could explore for help that also have various links on them:
- Removing Invasive Plants and Planting with Natives
- A few resources on Native Plant Gardening
- There is the new Maryland Native Plants Program, which you can educate them on. More resources here, including a free download PDF copy of the new Maryland Native Plant Guide for the Piedmont Region. There is also a free webinar series called Natives at Noon that is a lunchtime learning series that anyone can register for.
Here are some books you could explore as well:
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants
- Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas: Field Guide by Jil M. Swearingen and Judith P. Fulton
- Invasive Plants: Guide to Identification and the Impacts and Control of Common North American Species by Sylvan Ramsey Kaufman and Wallace Kaufman
Emily
Thank you! The first link was very much what I was looking for, and the references led me to Invasive Species: What everyone needs to know, which is proving to be a good read and just scientific enough to provide me with very useful information.
-Slater
Great! You're welcome! Good luck, and thank you for advocating!
