Invasive plants dominating La. coast

Foreign-based invasive plants have been a long-time problem for Louisiana’s waterways and marshes for decades, owing to the state's mild climate and rainfall. They clog waterways, overrun marshes and make it more difficult for animals to find food. Government agencies and conservation groups have been combating these plants, but it hasn’t worked. The Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program is enlisting the public’s assistance through a new guide on identifying and controlling these foreign invaders. The hope is that people will be able spot these bad boys and take action to keep them from spreading. Available online, the program's Managing Invasive Plants guide provides how-to tips: Use of herbicides and mechanical and muscle-powered methods to push back against the tallow, hyacinth and other invasive plants. NOLA.com wanted to know the 10 worst invaders, and asked the program's Invasive Species Coordinator Michael Massimi to rank the most problematic ones along the Louisiana coast. (Source: NOLA.com 07/24/18)