{"id":794633,"date":"2026-05-14T00:35:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T00:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/794633\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T00:35:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T00:35:17","slug":"wanted-dead-or-alive-ohio-goes-wild-west-on-top-10-invasive-species","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/794633\/","title":{"rendered":"Wanted, dead or alive. Ohio goes Wild West on top 10 invasive species"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Bon Jovi sings in their 1987 hit<\/a> \u2013 “wanted, dead or alive.”<\/p>\n

Ohio is taking inspiration from the Wild West (or the hair metal band) in its fight against invasive species<\/a>. On Monday, May 18, the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, part of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, is launching a new series to fight invasive species in Ohio.<\/p>\n

The agency recently shared on Facebook<\/a> a Wild West-style wanted poster \u2013 including the phrase “dead or alive” \u2013 for the top 10 invasive plants<\/a> in the state. The reward? Native plant communities.<\/p>\n

“Invasive plants often outcompete our native plant communities and provide little to no nutrition for wildlife, especially when compared to Ohio\u2019s native plant alternatives,” the ODNR division writes.<\/p>\n

Ohio battles invasive species with wanted posters<\/p>\n

ODNR’s top 10 most wanted list targets invasive, non-native plant species thare are negatively impacting the state’s private and public lands according to the post, which has received more than 110 comments and 150 shares as of May 13.<\/p>\n

“You may even have some of these species bordering your own property,” it reads.<\/p>\n

While we won’t know what the top 10 are until May 18, the state has listed 64 invasive plant species in Ohio Administrative Code<\/a>, with common privet<\/a> being the most recent. Examples include the Callery pear<\/a> (also known as the Bradford pear), Japanese knotweed<\/a>, poison hemlock and wild parsnips<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Invasive plants can be challenging to remove, the division of natural areas states in its post, and may take several seasons.<\/p>\n

One way to fight invasive plants in Ohio? Eat them. Examples include garlic mustard<\/p>\n

Sure, invasive plants are a nuisance and some are toxic. But a few are edible<\/a>. Here are five examples:<\/p>\n