VT Edition Interview: John Kart & Rose Paul on efforts to remove invasive species in Vermont

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Citizens, school groups and even businesses are getting involved in the struggle to keep invasive plants from turning Vermont’s unique natural habitats into unvaried swathes of less valuable species. Jon Kart works for the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife, is a Richmond Selectman and a prime mover behind his town’s effort to save its highly prized flood plain forests from an onslaught of Japanese knotweed, barberry and garlic mustard. Rose Paul is co-chair of the Vermont Invasive Exotic Plant Committee and director of Science and Stewardship for the Nature Conservancy in Vermont.  They spoke with VPR’s Jane Lindholm about why and how Vermonters from all walks of life are pulling up hundreds of pounds of invasives.