Woodstock
“A full wild parsnip burn looks just gruesome,” said Al Alessi, of the Woodstock Conservation Commission, during a recent phone interview. “It’s at least as bad as poison ivy, but a bad one is open, weeping sores.”
One summer three or four years ago, Alessi said, he was surprised to see thousands of the parsnip’s small yellow flowers popping up in the 10-foot mowed buffer area on either side of Pomfret Road, where he lives.
Last year, he said, he noticed that the plant began spreading out from the roadside and penetrating deeper into the fields.
“Then I saw it on Route 106,” Alessi said. “The purpose of the meeting was to assess just how bad it is…. Is anyone else seeing that? How far is this going? What are we doing? What can we do? Can we afford it?”
Alessi said he hoped the town could decide on a five-year plan to eradicate, or at least manage, the invasive plant.
The plant has been documented at 458 different locations in the state, including throughout much of the Upper Valley, according to a state-managed website, vtinvasives.org, which invites users to send in their findings.
Alessi, who has suffered wild parsnip burns himself by casually brushing against the plant, said the town has a financial stake in making sure that its outdoor areas are usable to residents and tourists alike.
“We’re already getting where, with ticks, we need to be fully clothed all the time. What’s next, bubble suits to roam through the woods? Why are we living in Vermont if we can’t enjoy the outdoors?” he asked. “It’s kind of a drag.”
Management options include aggressive mowing campaigns, hand-pulling and chemical treatments.
During the hearing, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Woodstock Town Hall, people will also discuss three other invasive plants — giant hogweed, garlic mustard and wild chervil, all of which Alessi said have shown significant growth within the town’s borders in recent years.
Matt Hongoltz-Hetling can be reached at mhonghet@vnews.com or 603-727-3211.