AUGUSTA – The Maine Forest Service will hold three invasive plant identification and control workshops in June.

The workshops will provide participants with an introduction to identification of common upland invasive plants. Participants will also be introduced to different control strategies for invasive plants, including mechanical and chemical methods.

The workshops will concentrate on plant species that are invasive in Maine’s forests. Anyone with an interest in invasive plants is encouraged to attend. The workshops are free. They will have a field component.

Workshop 1, Freeport: Thursday, June 4, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Freeport Public Library; field site to be determined. Coffee and snacks will be provided by the Freeport Conservation Commission.

Workshop 2, Hebron: Friday, June 5, from 8 a.m. to noon at Hebron Academy. The field portion will be on Maine Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands public reserved land in Hebron.

Workshop 3, Livermore Falls: Friday, June 12, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Murray Hall; field site to be determined.

Space is limited and registration is required. To register or for more information, contact Ken Canfield via e-mail at [email protected] or call 657-3535. If registering, include the names of those attending and contact information for each person. Continuing education credits are available.

The workshops are being held in cooperation with the Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District, Androscoggin Land Trust, Freeport Conservation Commission, Maine Department of Conservation Bureau of Parks and Lands, USDA Forest Service, the Nature Conservancy, Verso Paper and CPS Timberland.