A "bittersweet" stewardship day coming up for CLC June 03, 2021CHOCORUA—Twiny vines covered in shiny new leaves and flower buds this time of year, with gorgeous red berries in an orange shell later in the season? It's the dread bittersweet—a gardener's nightmare. On Tuesday, June 8, from 9-11 a.m., join the Chocorua Lake Conservancy for a morning of camaraderie, exercise, and invasive plant control at the Brown Lot across from Chocorua Lake. Our volunteer stewards will be learning to identify some common invasive plants and how to remove and control those that might otherwise out-compete native shrubs. Bittersweet, shiny buckthorn, Japanese barberry and Japanese knotweed are all considered invasive plants in New England: plants that evolved in other parts of the world that grow quickly, disburse large quantities of fruits or seeds, and often grow from underground root systems. Invasive plants can grow so thick in some places that they take over habitat normally available to native shrubs that provide cover and food for wildlife.