Kudzu Inventory Outreach & Mapping for Invasive Species Control in Polk County

The Polk County Appearance Commission has been awarded a grant that aims to inventory kudzu in Polk County and work toward its ultimate removal. The funding, provided by a grant from The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, will support the creation of a representative inventory of kudzu in the county combined with community outreach and education efforts. 

Kudzu is prevalent throughout all of Western North Carolina and has been expanding its range in Polk County for decades. It is highly visible on many of our roadsides, forest edges, and open fields. It is often referred to as "the vine that ate the south", a title emphasizing its uncontrolled spread and ultimate threat to biodiversity. Its rapid growth enables it to outcompete, and ultimately smother, native plants by blocking sunlight. This process leads to a loss of native vegetation and habitats for other plants and animals. 

Creating an inventory of kudzu in Polk County is an essential first step toward eradication of this aggressive invasive species in the county. Combined with community outreach and the creation of educational materials, this grant should ultimately equip community leaders and residents with the tools they need to manage, and ultimately eradicate, this aggressive non-native invasive species.