SuAsCo CISMA

The SuAsCo CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) is a partnership of organizations that intend to manage and control invasive species defined by the geography of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord (SuAsCo) watershed. Thirty-six towns are part of the SuAsCo Watershed, and we are all connected by the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord river system. The watershed covers approximately 377 square miles and includes a variety of upland habitats, wetland habitats, historic sites, scenic sites and recreational areas. The towns, state and federal government agencies, and environmental organizations that hold land in the watershed all share an interest in the work of the CISMA.

Cisma Map

What are invasive species?

  • Any plant or animal that is not native to an area.
  • Able to reproduce without any natural checks on population growth and can out-compete native organisms.
  • Invasive species begin to fill the ecological roles of native species and in short order can entirely replace native species.

Take Action

Wild and Scenic

In April 1999 Congress designated 29 miles of the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers as Wild and Scenic for their outstanding ecology, history, scenery, recreation values, and place in American literature. The designated reach includes: the 14.9-mile segment of the Sudbury River beginning at the Danforth Street Bridge in Framingham, downstream to the Route 2 bridge in Concord, and the 1.7-mile segment of the Sudbury River from the Route 2 bridge downstream to its confluence with the Assabet River at Egg Rock; the 4.4-mile segment of the Assabet River beginning 1,000 feet downstream from the Damonmill Dam in West Concord, to its confluence with the Sudbury River at Egg Rock in Concord; and the 8-mile segment of the Concord River from Egg Rock at the confluence of the Sudbury and Assabet Rivers downstream to the Route 3 bridge in Billerica.

Designating a river as “wild and scenic” does not halt use of a river; instead, the goal is to preserve the character of a river. Uses compatible with the management goals of a particular river are allowed; change is expected to happen. However, development must ensure the river’s free flow and protect its “outstandingly remarkable resources.” The intent of Congress was to create a national system of protected rivers that co-existed with use and appropriate development. Each river designation is different, and each management plan is unique. Over 156 rivers in the U.S. have been given the Wild and Scenic designation.

To learn more about Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and the SuAsCo Watershed, please visit The Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Wild & Scenic River Stewardship Council.

Invasive Pests

  • Spotted Lanternfly: Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula or “SLF”) is an invasive insect first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014. It causes damage to trees and other woody plants by feeding on their sap. While the primary host plant of SLF is the invasive tree-of-heaven, researchers have found that it also targets grapevines, hops, and fruit trees, giving it the potential to become a serious agricultural pest.

Upcoming Events

16 Jul

Community Water Chestnut Pull - Sudbury River in Concord

Wednesday, July 16, 2025    
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Southbridge Boathouse
Help Restore the Sudbury River Ecosystem! Join us for a fun and impactful day on the Sudbury River to remove invasive water chestnut and help [...]
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19 Jul

Community Water Chestnut Pull—Bedford Boat Ramp, Bedford

Saturday, July 19, 2025    
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Bedford Boat Ramp
Help Remove Invasive Water Chestnut! Join us in protecting our waterways by removing invasive water chestnut! WHEN: Saturday, July 19, 9:00 AM to noon WHERE: Bedford Boat [...]
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26 Jul

SVT: Weed Warrior Pull at Wolbach Farm

Saturday, July 26, 2025    
9:00 am to 11:00 am
Wolbach Farm
Standing volunteer pull at Wolbach Farm. Drop in and work on invasives control! This work is a part of our larger habitat management efforts to [...]
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15 Aug

Lincoln Volunteer Workday: Codman South

Friday, August 15, 2025    
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Join the Town of Lincoln Conservation Department and Lincoln Land Conservation Trust for an afternoon of invasive plant education, camaraderie, and habitat restoration. These monthly [...]
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Recent News

Goats control invasive plants

June 10, 2012

See the Boston Globe article, “Four-legged weed machines”, of June 10 at: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/west/2012/06/09/wellesley-employs-goats-devour-invasive-plants-boulder-brook-reservation/ujRVHqiqavdzGYff7JbNKK/story.html Read more

The Bittersweet Challenge

May 3, 2012

An interview regarding the Bittersweet Challenge was aired on the Living on Earth radio program. Who can find the biggest Oriental Bittersweet vine? (see http://www.loe.org/shows/shows.html?programID=12-P13-00023#feature7) Read more

Grant: Controlling Invasive Species in Rivers

April 4, 2012

Beacon Villager Article – Apr. 4, 2012 Grant: Controlling Invasive Species in Rivers Thanks to a $70,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, towns along the Sudbury, Assabet,… Read more

Acton volunteers remove Garlic Mustard this spring

March 3, 2012

In Acton, volunteers have been working for the last few years to remove Garlic Mustard plants from Acton’s conservation areas. For a few weeks each spring, when the plant has… Read more

New Invasive Species Smartphone App

February 3, 2012

New Smartphone App Now Available to Boost Invasive Species Data Collection across Massachusetts Thanks to a new collaboration between the University of Massachusetts’ Center for Public Policy and Administration (CPPA)… Read more