Data & maps · Feedstocks report

Invasive species (biomass feedstocks)

Invasive biomass is costly to remove. HVB helps turn harvested invasives into pilot-ready energy and soil value.

Harvested invasives can help pay for removal—if the biomass stays local and is processed safely. Use the Feedstocks report to package anaerobic digestion as a management pathway.

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Invasive species Feedstocks Anaerobic digestion
Invasive water chestnut on a Hudson Valley waterway

What's changing

Funding increasingly rewards projects that convert harvested invasives into energy and soil products. Removal teams now need an end-use plan, not just disposal.

Why it matters here

Water chestnut, hydrilla, and phragmites choke waterways across the Hudson Valley. Converting that biomass protects access, water quality, and shoreline budgets.

How HVB responds

  • Map hotspots and seasonal tonnage so partners can plan supply.
  • Design pilots with dewatering, debris handling, and stable digester loading.
  • Connect removal crews, municipalities, and offtake so value is shared and measurable.

Related links

Invasive biomass streams

Water chestnut, hydrilla, and phragmites dominate many waterways. Each has a different harvest rhythm, but all can support anaerobic digestion when staged well.

Invasives raise dredging, hauling, and disposal costs—and they reduce access and shoreline resilience.

  • Dense mats force frequent removals and higher disposal costs.
  • Long hauls to landfills or distant digesters add emissions and risk.
  • Closures and habitat stress compound the public cost.
Key takeaway: Treat invasive biomass as a resource: convert it locally and redirect savings into restoration.

Water chestnut

Dense mats of water chestnut on a wetland surface.
Image credit: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Water chestnut forms dense floating mats that block light, drain oxygen, and shut down access.

  • Dewatered mats stage well and support controlled batch loading.
  • Harvests yield nutrient-rich biomass with reliable energy potential.
  • Coordinate harvest timing and monitoring to reduce reinfestation.

Hydrilla

Submerged hydrilla clumps beneath clear water.
Image credit: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Hydrilla forms thick submerged canopies that clog intakes and shift oxygen regimes.

  • Once winched ashore, biomass dries quickly and blends well with woody feedstocks.
  • Manage moisture and check for herbicide residues before digestion.
  • Coordinate digestion plans with treatment windows and permit constraints.

Common reed (Phragmites australis)

Tall phragmites stalks across a wetland edge.
Image credit: Cornell University & partners

Phragmites spreads fast, alters hydrology, and raises fire risk while displacing biodiversity.

  • Cutting recovers high dry-matter stalks suitable for lignocellulosic digestion.
  • Blend carefully to reduce grinder wear from high silica.
  • Confirm invasive vs native genotype requirements in permits.
Water chestnut hotspots along the Hudson Valley
Interactive atlas layer pairing invasive biomass data with infrastructure.

Interactive feedstocks map

Use the atlas to layer invasive biomass, organics flows, and infrastructure. Make pilot corridors—and constraints—visible in one view.

  • Zoom into hotspots and digester corridors together.
  • Layer boundaries, access routes, and operator footprints.
  • Use the atlas to prep proposals and land-use meetings.
Back to invasive species brief Open atlas

Siting + safety considerations

Removal sites sit near wetlands and neighborhoods. Clear siting rules, traffic plans, and monitoring protect trust.

Permitting & safeguards

DEC permits or authorizations may apply to removal, harvest, or staging inside regulated waters; consult the DEC invasive species general permit before mobilizing.

  • Map sensitive receptors before staging or processing.
  • Plan odor control, truck timing, and feedback channels.
  • Coordinate with DEC (and USACE where relevant) early.

Pilot pathways

HVB pilots connect removal crews, digestion capacity, and offtake so outcomes are measurable.

  • Quantify volumes, seasonality, and contamination risks by watershed.
  • Define wet/dry logistics and dewatering so feedstock arrives stable.
  • Match pretreatment and digestion to capacity, moisture, and wear.
  • Bundle permits and partners so compliance and finance stay aligned.

Related links

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