• Lush vegetation on the top of Spectacle Island's North drumlin dominates the foreground. Boston's skyline can be seen in the distance. The park's logo with tag line minutes away, worlds apart empashises the stark contrast between the city and islands.

    Boston Harbor Islands

    National Recreation Area Massachusetts

Early Pest Detection

tree trunk damage from Asian Long Horned Beetle

Tree Trunk damage by Asian Longhorned Beetle

Surveillance, Monitoring and Rapid Response
Early detection of invasive plants, animals and diseases was ranked among the top priorities in national parks across the country. Known impacts of invasive species can include loss of threatened and endangered species, altered composition of terrestrial and aquatic communities, and reduction of overall species diversity. In order to prioritize and respond to risks, park managers at the Boston Harbor Islands staff are organizing volunteers to help:

  • create and update an early pest detection list for the Boston Harbor Islands;
  • identify and monitor invasive plant and forest species; and
  • record and respond to infestations.

If you are interested in helping park rangers identify, monitor or respond to pest infestations, please register for a program on Stewardship Saturdays.

Did You Know?

Sunset at the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area

In the 1800s, when the Great Famine drove a million or more Irish citizens to immigrate to the United States, Deer Island was the landing point for thousands of refugees, many sick and poverty-stricken, hoping to reach the Port of Boston. More...