Rachel Cuschieri-Murray

Rachel Cuschieri-Murray

Rachel Cuschieri-Murray's roots in conservation began with collecting seeds and foraging with her Dad on the Army bases where she grew up. She obtained Bachelor's and Master's degrees in communication from Eastern Michigan University.

Early in her career, Rachel worked with schools and businesses in the Detroit suburbs and Mid-Michigan to promote conservation and sustainability practices. She was delighted to join Eaton Conservation District as the Executive Director in 2022. Since then, Rachel has been a core leader in the effort to understand and stop the spread of the new invasive species, Lesser Celandine, in Michigan.

Eaton Conservation District

Ficaria verna – A Newly Added Invasive Species in Michigan

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Ficaria verna (Lesser celandine) is a perennial ground-covering plant native to northern Europe, newly found to be invasive in the Great Lakes region. F. verna forms a dense mat in the early spring, outcompeting native ephemeral species, many of which are already threatened. It can be identified by its small (1-4 cm), lobed leaves growing in clusters with 7-12 petaled, glossy, yellow inflorescences (2-5 cm). After blooming, F. verna forms clusters of small bulblets and tubers which spread and easily propagate if disturbed.