Activities occurred in over 75 CT towns, as well as several out-of-state. At least 7,372 citizens directly and actively participated in the activities. A minimum of 13,208 hours were directly invested in invasive plant management, during intensive invasive plant training sessions and management activities, as well as educational outreach. Many (at least 7,800) were reached indirectly through articles, YouTube videos, social media, fact sheets, signs, and other educational mediums. During the 2025 calendar year, there were 83,000 page views on the CIPWG website, and 46,000 users participated in 57,000 sessions. The most visited pages are the Invasive Plant List (22,000) and the home page (8,000).

CIPWG maintains a Facebook page. CIPWG’s news and events listserv has approximately 1460 members from Connecticut and other states in the region. Requests to subscribe to the listserv may be submitted online from the CIPWG website.

The Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group maintains the following subcommittees:

• Education and Outreach (educational outreach about invasive species and their alternatives)
  • CIPWG display was used at 5 events around the state in 2025.
  • Outdoor Educators held 6 free “Walk, Talk and Cut” events in 5 of Connecticut’s counties.
• Management (develop and disseminate information on invasive plant control options)
• Native Alternatives (explore and promote the use of native plant species as alternatives to invasives)
• Research List Review 
  • Reviewed plants to be added to the CIPWG Invasive Plant Research List.
  • Researched sterile cultivars of invasive plants.

CIPWG provides a List of Speakers who are available to give presentations on many invasive plant-related topics, including identification, control, and non-invasive alternatives. CIPWG members and volunteers coordinated and presented numerous lectures, workshops, demonstrations, guided field walks, and invasive plant management events during 2025. CIPWG also maintains exhibits that feature invasive terrestrial plants and aquatic species that have been displayed at public events.

Since 2002, CIPWG has hosted biennial invasive plant symposia. The twelfth biennial symposium was held in Storrs, CT on October 29, 2024, with 390 people attending. Symposium 2024 handouts, powerpoints, and information are available on the CIPWG website.

The report details the invasive plant management and educational activities that occurred in over 60 CT towns throughout the year. At least 6,354 citizens directly and actively participated in CIPWG activities: exhibit displays, invasive plant talks presented, invasive plant educational materials provided, and/or invasive plant management activities occurred. A minimum of 21,313 hours were directly invested in invasive plant management, during intensive invasive plant training sessions and management activities, as well as educational outreach. Many (at least 32,525) were reached indirectly through articles, YouTube videos, social media, fact sheets, signs, and other educational mediums.

The CIPWG Facebook page was started in 2024. As of December 2024, the page had 163 followers. 13,275 people have been reached through the page, with 12,204 views since September 2024. CIPWG’s news and events listserv has approximately 1350 members from Connecticut and other states in the region. Requests to subscribe to the listserv may be submitted online from the CIPWG website.

The Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group maintains the following subcommittees:

• Education and Outreach (educational outreach about invasive species and their alternatives)
  • CIPWG displays were used at 5 events around the state in 2024.
  • Outdoor Educators held 6 free “Walk, Talk and Cut” events in 5 of Connecticut’s counties. 96 people attended these events.

• Management (develop and disseminate information on invasive plant control options)
• Native Alternatives (explore and promote the use of native plant species as alternatives to invasives)
  • Two publications that were released in 2023 are available on the CIPWG website: Pollinators in Gardens & Meadows and Deer Resistant Native Perennials.
• Research List Review 
  • Developed criteria regarding additional plants on the CT Invasive Plant list to be prohibited from sale and presented recommendations to the CIPWG Steering Committee. The Steering Committee voted for the adoption of recommendations and presented the recommendations to the Invasive Plant Council in October 2024.
  • Reviewed plants to be added to the CIPWG Invasive Plant Research List.

CIPWG provides a List of Speakers who are available to give presentations on many invasive plant-related topics, including identification, control, and non-invasive alternatives. Since 2002, CIPWG has hosted biennial invasive plant symposia. The twelfth biennial symposium was held in Storrs, CT on October 29, 2024, with 390 people attending. The symposium theme was Real Talk - Making an Impact in Invasive Plant Management. The all-day event featured regional and local experts as well as citizen volunteers sharing practical solutions for invasive plant management and actions needed to promote native species and improve wildlife habitat. Symposium 2024 information is available on the CIPWG website.