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Is your landscape being overtaken by overly aggressive plants? Do you wonder which species are truly invasive and how to manage them effectively? This class provides an overview of the ecological problems caused by invasive species, exploring how they outcompete native plants, disrupt habitat structure, and alter critical ecological processes.
🥬Build essential skills in identifying common invasive vines, herbaceous plants, and woody species, and learn how to distinguish them from similar-looking native plants. Explore a range of management strategies, including chemical, mechanical, and integrated approaches, and understand when and how each method can be applied safely and successfully.
🥬Field sessions take place in the grounds areas just outside the curated gardens where you’ll observe management techniques in action and see firsthand how targeted interventions support long-term ecological recovery. Learning directly from Mt. Cuba’s experts, who manage hundreds of acres using best-practice ecological restoration methods, gives participants practical insight and hands-on experience with real-world techniques.
Gain the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions, implement sustainable control strategies, and actively support the restoration of native plant communities.
Outdoor learning may include walking on rolling terrain and mulched paths. Dress for the weather. Classes are held rain or shine. Lunch is included each day.
This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Two Thursdays: 9/10 and 9/17.
🥬 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) available
About the Instructors:
Leah Brooks is the Marketing Coordinator at Mt. Cuba. She has dual bachelor’s degrees from the University of Delaware in Environmental Science and Wildlife Ecology. She is a Delaware Master Naturalist and Vice Chair of the Delaware Invasive Species Council. She’s an avid contributor to the Delaware Native Plant Identification and Exchange group on Facebook. Her passion is sharing the joy of nature and native gardening with others.
Charlie Reidinger is the Grounds Manager at Mt. Cuba Center, where he has worked since 2019. Before joining the Mt. Cuba team, Charlie spent 7+ years leading Trail Maintenance crews throughout Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. Outside of work, you can find Charlie foraging for wild edibles or just enjoying the many trails this area has to offer.
Jake Paraskiewicz is the Plant Health Care Specialist at Mt. Cuba Center. He holds a BS in Plant & Soil Science from the University of Delaware. As a certified chemical applicator through the Delaware Department of Agriculture, Jake takes pride in designing ecological IPM programs for the gardens of Mt. Cuba Center.
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