For the past 4 years, the Jonah Center has organized work parties of 20-30 paddlers each to remove invasive water chestnut (trapa natans) from the Floating Meadows, the 1000 acre freshwater tidal marshland formed by the Mattabesset and  Coginchaug Rivers.

The map above indicates the primary location of plants in the previous few years. This year, plants are visible upstream from this area, where the “Mattabesset River” label is seen, and still father upstream from there, where the river turns sharply to the right at the top of the map. These are the areas of primary focus.

Due to the pandemic, the Jonah Center has not organized large work parties. We have encouraged  paddlers to go out solo or in small family groups.  Bring a large plastic bag, gently pull up plants by the roots, place them in the bag, and deposit the plants near the informational kiosk in the boat launch parking area.

If you are able to pull more plants than you can carry, please place them on one of the floating drying rafts anchored in the area. The plants will drain, dry out in the sun, lose most of their weight and volume, and become easier for others to bring back to the launch site by motor boat.  We will ask the Public Works Department to dispose of them when plants have accumulated.  Please contact us if you have gone out to remove plants and let us know what you have found in terms of location and number of plants.  We will all do the best that we can.

This plant drying raft was designed and constructed by Jonah volunteer Mike Thomas.