The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources maintains a Prohibited Plant List of 144 species that may not be imported, sold, traded, purchased, or distributed in the state. The Massachusetts Invasive Plants Advisory Group (MIPAG) has identified 69 additional species as invasive or potentially invasive. These prohibitions apply uniformly across all Middlesex County municipalities.
Massachusetts has one of the nation's more comprehensive invasive plant regulatory frameworks. The Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List, maintained by the Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) under MGL Chapter 128B, currently includes 144 plant species that are prohibited from importation, sale, trade, purchase, and distribution in the state. This includes all cultivars, varieties, and hybrids of listed species. Key prohibited species include: Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) — added in 2022 due to its link to tick habitat and Lyme disease, particularly significant in Middlesex County's suburban areas; Norway maple (Acer platanoides); burning bush (Euonymus alatus); glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus); multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora); oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus); and autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata). The Massachusetts Invasive Plants Advisory Group (MIPAG) separately evaluates species and has identified 69 species as Invasive, Likely Invasive, or Potentially Invasive. While MIPAG designations are advisory, they influence the Prohibited Plant List and municipal land management decisions. Middlesex County's mix of suburban development and remaining natural areas (Middlesex Fells Reservation, Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge) makes invasive plant management a regional priority. Many municipalities within the county participate in invasive species removal programs through conservation commissions and volunteer groups. Nurseries and garden centers in Massachusetts are prohibited from selling listed species, and violations are enforced by MDAR.
Sale or distribution of prohibited plant species carries fines enforced by the Department of Agricultural Resources. Nurseries face potential license suspension or revocation. Individual property owners are not penalized for having existing prohibited species but cannot sell or distribute them.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge enforces numerical decibel limits: 60 dBA day and 50 dBA night at residential receptors, with a 5 dBA penalty for tonal or impulsive sounds.
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge treats persistent barking as a noise violation under Chapter 8.16 and an animal nuisance under Chapter 6.04; owners of chronically barking dogs fac...
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge banned gas-powered leaf blowers in 2024, requiring all landscapers and residents to switch to electric models, with time and decibel restrictions r...
Cambridge, MA
Outdoor music events in Cambridge require a one-day entertainment license from the License Commission, with end times typically capped at 10 PM on weeknights...
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge enforces strict industrial and commercial noise limits: 60 dB days and 50 dB nights at residential property lines, aligned with MassDEP Policy 90-001.
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge reserves designated EV charging station spaces for actively charging electric vehicles only, and new large developments must provide EV-ready parki...
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