Garlic Mustard Eradication Program

The NHBP Environmental Department manages invasive plants found on the Pine Creek Indian Reservation. Garlic mustard seedlings sprout in the spring, are formed by midsummer and are the most common invasive species found on the Pine Creek Indian Reservation. Immature plants will form as rosettes that stay green and continue to photosynthesize during periods when temperatures are above freezing, which gives the garlic mustard rosettes the advantage over native plants in the region.

Vigilance is key when removing the garlic mustard. An average plant produces hundreds of seeds that germinate in light and shaded environments. On the reservation, the removal of garlic mustard begins in mid-April and can last up to four weeks, depending on the weather and field conditions. The garlic mustard eradication is staffed largely by NHBP Job Bank staff.