Newtown Knotweed Initiative

06/03/2026

NOT RECOMMENDED TO CUT KNOTWEED BUT, it’s for a sight line issue on Walnut Tree Hill Rd and we don’t want PW mowing it. We will wait till the early fall to spray in the window by a licensed applicator.

06/01/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18yznzAJLX/?mibextid=wwXIfr

🎙️🐭New Episode Alert ‼️ 🐭🎙️ The Lads invited Holly Kocet and Lisa Shirk of the Newtown Conservation Commission to stop by the Blackbeard for a pint and to talk about the new rodenticide ban in town! 🔗 in bio for all streaming platforms

06/01/2026

Tis the season! The town mowers are out chopping up the knotweed! If you do not want the town to cut yours that is along a road because you are planning to mitigate it in the fall, please reach out to us for a free sign.

05/30/2026

Newtown Knotweed Initiative was at the demonstration plot by the pickleball courts at FFH, making the first cut of the season using the Nix the Knotweed strategy WHICH DOES NOT WORK! Plot 1 which uses the science of spraying in the window by a licensed applicator only had 5 small mutated plants, while Plot 2 , the Nix the Knotweed side had 180 stalks. This is year 3 for this plot. After cutting, stalks were taken to the invasive trailer at the Newtown Transfer Station.

05/22/2026

Southbury becomes the second town to pass a rodenticide ban in CT! Well done Southbury! Great job Kristin Cedor, their ACO who brought the issue to the table.
What town needs some help to do this? Please reach out to Lisa Shirk at [email protected].
Bring change to your town TODAY!

05/14/2026

A group of 22 Connecticut residents from as far away as Southington came out last night to learn more about invasive knotweed.

The program, sponsored by Newtown Knotweed Initiative (NKI), provided homeowners with the tools needed to identify, treat and manage this highly invasive plant encroaching on the state's roadways, open spaces and private property.

NKI members Christine St Georges and Lisa Shirk covered all the bases, from why cutting, mowing and tarping don't work to the importance of timing and the ideal treatment window.

NKI will return to Booth Memorial Library for a follow-up presentation August 6 at 6:30 pm.

05/12/2026

Tomorrow night!

05/06/2026

Our knotweed program is just a week from today at Booth Memorial Library. If you have knotweed, it's impossible to ignore, and cutting or mowing it can make things worse.

Get the facts at our presentation, get your questions answered and get ready for action in late summer/early fall. It's the ideal time to deal with this plant.

05/04/2026

Newtown Knotweed Initiative is at it again. Demonstrating that invasives can be tamed and trees can be freed. We tackled the whole gambit today at Newtown Forest Associations Holcombe Hill location. Multiflora rose, bittersweet vine, burning bush, privet and autumn olive to name a few. We have a bit more to do but accomplished a lot.

05/04/2026

Beautiful foamflower is an early-blooming native perennial ideal for shady spots.