ALBANY – The State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Eastern New York Chapter of the Nature conservancy will receive grants specifically earmarked to eradicate invasive infestations.

State Senator John Bonacic of Mt. Hope is on the Senate Budget Subcommittee on the Environment and pushed for the funds to preserve the Hudson Valley and Catskills regions.

State Parks will receive $100,000 to eradicate common reed, Japanese barberry, Japanese knotweed, Japanese stiltgrass, leafy spurge, multiflora rose and spotted knapweed from Minnewaska State Park.

The Nature Conservancy will receive over $50,000 to eradicate black swallow-wort, bush honeysuckle, giant hogweed, and mile a minute weed from areas in the Catskills.

“Invasive species have far-reaching implications,” Bonacic said. “They cause hard to ecosystems, food supplies, landscaping, industry and infrastructure, therefore it is in our best interest for the state to invest in eradicating these creatures.”