BY LAUREN KNIERIM

Acadia National Park and its partners work hard to monitor and manage invasive plants inside the park. But they can’t tackle this problem alone.

Whether hitching a ride on the tread of a hiker’s boot, sloshing around in the belly of a robin, or gently floating down Cromwell Harbor, invasive plants have no concept of park boundaries, and they certainly don’t stay within them. And ecosystems don’t either—from backyards to roadsides, the unique habitats Acadia is known for protecting spill out across all of Mount Desert Island.

That’s where you come in.

Backyard Stewards is a community initiative from Friends of Acadia that encourages MDI residents to take action in their own backyards by removing invasive plants and planting native species in their place. Participants sign up to become a Backyard Steward on our website and are encouraged to tell us about what plants they’ve removed or replaced.

By sharing their experiences and key information with park managers, participants can help to inform management decisions and guide future conservation strategies in and around Acadia.

Claire Burnet, 2024 community volunteer ambassador at Acadia, removes berries from cut branches of a burning bush shrub. (Evie Linantud/Friends of Acadia)

Pesticide is applied onto burning bush stumps. (Evie Linantud/Friends of Acadia)

A burning bush shrub is removed from a home in Southwest Harbor. (Evie Linantud/Friends of Acadia)

The program focuses on five key invasive species: glossy buckthorn, Asiatic bittersweet, winged euonymus, Morrow’s honeysuckle, and Japanese barberry. Though not the only invasive species the park manages, these small shrubs and vines are currently the highest priority to Acadia’s resource managers due to their level of pervasiveness. In 2024, glossy buckthorn alone accounted for 60% of the total time Acadia’s Invasive Plant Management Team spent actively managing invasive plants.

Using Backyard Stewards’ online resources, participants can investigate their own backyards for these species and learn how to remove them. Or phone a friend! Backyard Stewards also includes a directory of landscaping professionals and plant nurseries that have joined the program to help support their community.

By becoming a Backyard Steward, you can help turn the mosaic of park lands and neighboring communities into an opportunity to support a more biodiverse MDI together.

LAUREN KNIERIM is the 2025 Community Volunteer Ambassador at Acadia National Park.

Check out our Backyard Steward resources online, and sign up to stay apprised of what’s happening with the Backyard Stewards program: friendsofacadia.org/backyardstewards

ID priority invasive species in your yard
Learn more about the five invasive species of high concern in Mount Desert Island and how to identify them.


Tips for plant removal
Learn general methods for removing invasive plants from your property and what to do after they’ve been removed.

Local landscaper and nursery directory
Check out the directory featuring local companies that can help, from removing invasives and selling great native alternatives to landscape design and ongoing maintenance.

Share with us!
Tell us about which invasive plants are in your yard or that you’ve removed/replaced.