Volunteers have been working through three hot days this month in Minnewaska State Park to remove invasive Japanese stiltgrass.

According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, Japanese stiltgrass is one of many non-native plants that have spread to the region. Stiltgrass can take over an area of vegetation and turn it into a "monoculture," where only one kind of plant can grow; therefore its removal is a top priority. Full removal takes about five years, as seeds can remain dormant for several years.

Bob O'Brien, invasive species control specialist at Minnewaska said the volunteers have brought the stiltgrass population at least 80 percent under control in an acre-sized area where it had spread.