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Membership
Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group Members
Co-chairs:
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Email: |
Donna Ellis (Education and Outreach) |
donna.ellis(at)uconn.edu |
Penni Sharp (Native Alternatives) |
pensharp10(at)comcast.net |
Subcommittee: |
Email: |
Peter Picone |
peter.picone(at)ct.gov |
Suzanne Simone (Membership) |
ssimone(at)cheshirect.org
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Les Mehrhoff |
les.mehrhoff(at)uconn.edu |
Todd Mervosh (Managment) |
todd.mervosh(at)ct.gov |
Susan Parr |
SueOneWildflower(at)aol.com |
Rose Hiskes |
Rose.Hiskes(at)ct.gov |
Charlotte Pyle (Native Alternatives) |
charlotte.pyle(at)ct.usda.gov |
CIPWG Members and Biographies
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Email: donna.ellis@uconn.edu
Donna Ellis is a Senior Extension Educator in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture at the University of Connecticut, where she has worked for 19 years. She has a B.S. degree in Plant Science from the University of Rhode Island and an M.S. degree in Plant Science from the University of Connecticut.
Donna is part of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program, where she conducts IPM training programs for nursery growers. She is involved with educational outreach and applied research programs for plant pests, with emphasis on invasive plants and biological control. Donna initiated a Beetle Farmer Program in 2004 to train volunteers to raise beneficial insects as biological control agents for the invasive plant purple loosestrife. Together with the Beetle Farmers, more than 1.7 million beneficial beetles have been introduced in Connecticut for control of this invasive species.
Donna serves as Co-Chairperson of the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG), a statewide organization whose mission is to provide invasive plant education. The Working Group convenes biennial symposia on invasive plants. |
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Email: rose.hiskes@ct.gov
Rose Hiskes works as a diagnostician and horticulturist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in Windsor and New Haven, CT. She is currently project coordinator for an Asian Longhorned Beetle Outreach and Survey Program run in conjunction with USDA. She has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in plant science from the University of Connecticut. She has worked in the green industry for 20 years. Some of her horticultural interests are insects, flower gardening and invasive plants. She volunteers for the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group.
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Email: todd.mervosh@ct.gov
Todd Mervosh is a weed scientist and diagnostician with The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) at the Valley Laboratory in Windsor, CT. A native of Illinois, he earned a B.S. degree at the University of Illinois, a M.S. in agronomy at the University of Wisconsin, and a Ph.D. in agronomy / weed science at the University of Illinois. Dr. Mervosh joined the staff of CAES in 1994. He conducts weed control research in a variety of crops, such as field and container-grown nursery stock (ornamentals), Christmas trees and pumpkins. He also conducts experiments on management of non-native invasive plants including Oriental bittersweet, Japanese knotweed, pale swallow-wort, Japanese stiltgrass and mile-a-minute vine. He has been actively involved in the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group since its inception in 1997. Dr. Mervosh provides information to growers, property managers and the general public about weeds and invasive plants, especially regarding proper use of herbicides in vegetation management programs. Recently he took on additional responsibilities as diagnostician in the inquiry office at the Valley Laboratory.
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Email: peter.picone@ct.gov
Peter is a Senior Wildlife Biologist for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division, Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area in Burlington, CT. He provides technical assistance in enhancement of wildlife habitat; specializing in the use of native plants and managing invasive non-natives; oversees western district wildlife management areas and state land agricultural agreements; wildlife management area access management; provides technical assistance regarding habitat enhancement; invasive non-native plants management; advises on the use of native plants for habitat enhancement; urban wildlife and habitat management, publishes guides and technical literature to educate the public about habitat management and wildlife management; gives presentations using slides and other communication media; field research and surveys; deer and beaver management and nuisance control; works with other natural resource professional in related fields. |
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Email: charlotte.pyle@ct.usda.gov
Charlotte Pyle is a landscape ecologist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a federal agency that works primarily with private landowners. She has a B.S. degree in Conservation of Natural Resources from the University of California in Berkeley, a Master’s in Forestry (Ecology) from the University of Tennessee, and a PhD in Forestry (Forest Fragmentation/Habitat Connectivity) from the University of Washington. A specialist within NRCS, Dr. Pyle consults on native and invasive plant topics. She developed the plants content for the CT-NRCS website. She does ad hoc reviews of technical documents for NRCS and partners. She conducts workshops on native plants, invasive plants, and landscape-scale forestry issues and has created numerous training materials and guide sheets for invasive and native plants. Dr. Pyle represents NRCS on the CIPWG steering committee. She chaired the 2006 CIPWG Symposium and currently is working on two CIPWG subcommittees (Management and Native Alternatives to Invasive Species). Professionally, as well as personally, she is concerned with how humans interact with their environment. |
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