Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Invasive Species

Over the years, a variety of non-native species (plants, animals, and other organisms) have been introduced to Connecticut. Non-native species are those that are alien to the ecosystem that they have been introduced into and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm to the environment or human health. Some non-native species exhibit an aggressive growth habit and can out-compete and displace native species. These are referred to as invasive species and they are a serious problem in Connecticut and elsewhere.

Protecting native species and the habitats in which they occur is an objective of the Department. To address the issue, the Department has taken measures to control and remove invasive species on state land while offering assistance to private landowners seeking to manage invasive species on their properties.

Invasive Insects
Invasive Invertebrates
  • Jumping Worms: These invasive worms favor leaf litter and mulch. As their name implies, jumping worms jump and wiggle. They pose a threat to the natural ecosystem because they can displace other earthworm species, change the soil texture, strip the soil of nutrients, and kill plants. Learn about jumping worms and what you can do about them from a fact sheet developed by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
Aquatic Invasive Species

Aquatic Invasive Species

A Guide to Invasive Aquatic Plants in Connecticut - link to Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Invasive Aquatic Plant Program at Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Invasive Plants

Connecticut Invasive Plants Council - Draft minutes of the most recent Council meeting are available.

Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG)

Invasive Species Identification: CIPWG Factsheets

Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE)

Controlling Invasive Phragmites in Connecticut's Wetlands - Information on how to control Phragmites australis in freshwater and saltwater marshes.

Running Bamboo - Although not considered an invasive species in Connecticut, information on this species can be found on the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG) and Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station websites -- Running Bamboo Fact Sheet.

Connecticut General Statutes (CGS)
  • Sec. 22a-381. Invasive Plants Council: Membership; meetings.
  • Sec. 22a-381a. Duties and recommendations of the Invasive Plants Council.
  • Sec. 22a-381b. Listing of invasive and potentially invasive plants by council. Criteria for listing. Approval by majority of council's membership.
  • Sec. 22a-381c. Prohibition on purchase of invasive or potentially invasive plants by state agencies.
  • Sec. 22a-381d. Prohibited actions concerning certain invasive plants. Municipal ordinances re invasive plants.
  • Sec. 15-180. Transporting vessel or trailer without inspecting for and properly removing and disposing of vegetation.
  • Public Act 10-20. To authorize conservation officers to enforce certain prohibitions concerning invasive plants.
  • Public Act 12-167. An act requiring the inspection of vessels and vessel trailers for aquatic invasive species.
Related Information
Related Organizations
Content last updated in June 2022.