Federal officials have announced a series of non-native invasive plant treatments for the summer.

According to the Forest Service, a total of 24 sites throughout the forest will be treated this year as part of a five-year non-native invasive plants treatment contract.

“Non-native invasive plant species are those that are not native to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic, environmental, and/or human harm,” an ANF statement explained. “The Forest Service is committed to protecting the Allegheny National Forest’s ecological resources by limiting non-native invasive plant species’ ability to further spread on the Forest with active treatment activities.”

Three areas on the forest – the Economite area, Forest Road 385 in Elk County and the Beaver Meadows access road and closed campground area outside Marienville – are slated for a “one-time manual herbicide treatment between June 15th and September 1st.”

Several other areas “will have Japanese knotweed treatments, which entails a manual cutting in June and then a subsequent manual herbicide in late July or August. Those areas include state routes 66 and 666, Guitonville Road to state Route 3004, Forest Road 577 and Pine Run Road to TR325 at Pine Run.

“The Allegheny National Forest’s (ANF) first line of defense, and most cost-effective strategy, against invasive species, is preventing them from becoming established,” the statement said. “Non-native invasive plant species know no boundaries, which is why effective long-term non-native invasive plant treatments are necessary within the ANF. This is why shared stewardship and working cooperatively with adjacent landowners is another way the Forest Service is managing non-native invasive plants.

“Through shared stewardship, the Forest Service partners with the Allegheny Plateau Invasive Plant Management Area (APIPMA), which is a collaboration of conservation agencies, organizations, private industry, and concerned citizens, in working toward preventing and treating non-native invasive plants.”