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WVXU: Satellites zoom in on invasive plants in Cincinnati

UC research offers new tool to fight Amur honeysuckle

headshot of Michael Miller By Michael Miller 513-556-6757
1 minute read September 8, 2020

WVXU examined an innovative project by the University of Cincinnati to use satellite images to identify invasive Amur honeysuckle from space.

UC biology professor Denis Conover showed WVXU examples of the invasive Asian bush during a field trip with his Classification of Flowering Plants class at Burnet Woods.

Conover and UC geography graduate Bridget Taylor found that Landsat-8 images taken from orbit could identify the invasive bushes with 82% accuracy. Their study was published in the journal Ecological Restoration. 

Amur honeysuckle and other invasive plants can crowd out native wildflowers and other plants.

Listen to the WVXU story.

Featured image at top: UC biology professor Denis Conover and UC graduate Bridget Taylor collaborated on a study of nonnative and invasive Amur honeysuckle. Photo/Richard Beck

Denis Conover in a mask leads an interpretive walk.

UC biology professor Denis Conover spoke to WVXU about a research project that used Landsat-8 satellite images to identify invasive and nonnative Amur honeysuckle from space. Here he holds a native woody plant called devil's walking stick. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC Creative + Brand

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