Bittersweet

Island Scientists

When the fourth and fifth graders at the Peaks Island Elementary School were asked by City of Portland Arborist Jeff Tarling to list some invasive plant species found on Peaks Island students quickly raised their hands to list the six most wanted invasive species: Japanese Knotweed, Oriental Bittersweet, Japanese Barberry, Black Swallow-wort, Norway Maple and Multi Flora Rose.

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Monarch Butterfly. Image by PopcornSusanN from Pixabay.

Monarch Butterfly

The monarch butterfly population in North America has plummeted by over 90% in just the last 20 years. One of the biggest factors in monarch decline is the increasing scarcity of its only caterpillar host plant: milkweed. Without milkweed, monarchs can’t successfully reproduce and the species declines. By planting milkweed in your own garden and throughout your community, you can help reverse the fortune of these beautiful insects.

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Roger Berle

Letter from the President

Diamonds in the Rough

July 2020

As we’ve all come to consider way too many times over this past troubled Spring of 2020, things have been extraordinarily different. And difficult.

Yet, within the Little Diamond Island community, a great accomplishment has still taken place – rough times or no. A major Celebration is now certainly warranted. Unfortunately, however, we will not get to physically experience this success story at what would be our “normal” Annual Meeting time later in July. But as a teaser, we can today capsulize this amazing effort and then hopefully plan on an actual celebratory event in the Fall. Stay tuned...

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