Wipe Your Feet!

Wipe Your Feet!. Please brush your shoes before entering and leaving this area.. , Tiny seeds of invasive plants can hide in the soles of your shoes. Wiping shoes on the brush at the base of this sign helps prevent seeds from entering or leaving this natural area., Plant Invaders from Afar , Non-native invasive plants thrive outside their area of origin and harm the local environment. These highly aggressive species often spread uncontrollably in natural areas. Their rapid growth chokes forests, suppresses native plants such as wildflowers, and damages wildlife habitat., Wavy-leaved basketgrass is an invasive species from Asia that is spreading throughout Virginia and Maryland. This plant produces sticky seeds in summer and fall that easily attach to your shoes, socks and pant legs. It can invade mature forests and blanket the grounds in only a few years., Garlic Mustard is native to Europe and Asia. Settlers brought it to the United States to use as a medicine and for food. It is considered an invasive species. Garlic Mustard contains compounds that make it taste bad to herbivores. Garlic Mustard also produces chemicals that alter the soil. The small, dark seeds can germinate for up to five years and are easily spread.