On April 29, 2006, 50 people attended a workshop at the Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls, Massachusetts, presented by the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.  The topic of the workshop focused on controlling Japanese knotweed, an invasive species. This plant, Polygonum cuspidatum, is a pernicious invasive plant impacting riparian and other ecosystems in our region. The workshop was co-sponsored by the Deerfield River Watershed Association and funded through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Challenge Cost Share Program.  Other topics included species biology and ecology, manual and chemical control methods, health and safety when using herbicides, and details on the permitting process when planning control in wetlands or in rare species habitat.  A sweet dessert made from knotweed was a big hit!