The reality is with all the best intentions, there are only so many hours in the day and only so much energy to be spent.

Is stilt grass that stuff that's taking over the wetlands around the NE Corridor train tracks into NY?

I would bet it is. Stilt grass is extremely harmful to the forest 'cause it's so thick very little can germinate under its cover.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stilt grass

The good you do so far outweighs any bad that I cannot see why you would worry about occasional use of Roundup. Everyone needs to approach what they do as ethically as you.I use it to rid the property of poison ivy, to protect myself and family members, and recently used it to totally clear a chopped down mess of over-run red-currant bushes and gooseberry bushes. Seems to have gotten rid of all the weeds and one gooseberry sprout will be cared for and red-currant bushes from somewhere else on the property will be started again. Next time I will not let the weeds get a start. Just have to be more faithful with heavy mulching.

Hi njtea,
I've tried to keep stilt grass in check by pulling it up by hand. It works and the grass is pretty easy to pull up but it grows faster than I have time to pull all of them and unfortunately it also leaves an unsightly bare spot. I like you will be looking for a better solution. No reason to be sorry. As others have said there's too much to do and not enough time.

muckenmire, I, too, pull it in small patches - waiting until August to do so in order that it not encourage seeds to germinate. In the 8 years I've lived here, the stilt grass as increased exponentially. I think the deer tramping through the swamp and disturbing the ground there are contributing to the increase but I'm also beginning to think that some kind of evolution is going on with this pest as it now grows in very sunny and rather dry areas, rather than the normal shady and moist.

Sure wish someone would hurry up and find a biological control for it.