Minions,soldiersandninjas:Harnessingtheivy-killingpowerofvolunteersPresentationbyJaneHartlinefromtheSauvieIslandHabitatPartnershiptotheIvyForum,March29,2016Ivyninja Iamanivyninja.
Overthelastfiveyears,myloppersandhandsawhaveliberatedhundreds….nothousands…..oftreesfromclutchesofevilvines.
Groupphoto Idon’tworkalone.I’mpartofasmallbutmightybandoffellowivyninjaswhohavebeenworkingtogethernearlyeveryTuesdaymorningforthelastthreeyears.
Wapato Wearen’tpartbeholdentoanyformalorganization.Wearen’tpartofanyagency’soverallweedremovalplan.Wejustgooutandkillivy.
Mikewithgiantvine
OurmainbattlegroundisSauvieIslandandanarrowcorridoralongUSHighway30,borderingForestPark,betweentheSt.John’sBridgeandtheSauvieIslandBridge.Weconcentrateontreeivy,sinceourpriorityistokillitbeforeitsetsseedandthebirdsspreaditsevilspawn.Butweoftentacklegroundivyaswell.Lookatthesizeofthatvine,willyou?Yes….that’sivyMikeissawingthrough.
OK….thatgivesyouanideaofwhereIfitin.Let’stalkaboutyou.Youhavepaidworkcrews.Youhaveanarsenalofherbicides.Butfaceit.Youwillneverhaveenoughtime,money,crewhours,stafforherbicidestogetontopoftheivyproblem.Youneedanarmy.Youneedninjas.Mymaingoalforthistalkistoimpressuponyouthefullpotentialofhighlymotivated,unpaidpeople,totackleandcompleteivyprojectsbeyondyourwildestdreams.
Butasrequested,I’llalsotalkalittleabouttechniquesandaboutcircumstanceswhereyoushouldn’tusevolunteers.
Grangeworkparty
Solet’sstartbytalkingabouttraditionalvolunteerworkparty.Butlet’snotspendmuchtimeonthem.I’mgoingtoassumeyouknowhowtosetupaweedworkpartywhereyoupickalocation,setadateandrecruitvolunteers.Youshowupthatmorning,havepeoplesignwaivers,handthemsometools,givethemabitofon-the-jobtrainingandthenkeepaneyeonthemwhiletheyworktomakesuretheyaren’tstompingonnativesorrippingoutthewrongplants.Youplythemwithcookiesandcoffeeandhavethemgiveyoutheircontactinformationsoyoucancontactthemthenexttimeyouscheduleanevent.
LindaKlarquist Thoseworkpartiescangetalotdone,butperhapsmostimportant,theyareentry-leveleventsforninjas,andplacesforyoutonoticeandgroompeoplethatcanworkinthefutureatamuchhigherlevel.Tomovepeoplefrombeingminionsatworkpartiestobeingninjas,youhavetolookatthemadifferentway.Youhavetorealizetheirpotential.
Jeff Keepyoureyeontheretireesinthegroup.Thattermdoesn’tmeanwhatitusedto.Idon’tknowmanyfellowOregonianretireeswhoarecontenttoplaygolfalldayeverydayorsitinfrontofaTV.Theyarefit,activeandhighlymotivated.Manyofthemsupervisedpeopleandmanagedbigprojectsduringtheirpaidworkyears.Theyarecontent,attimes,tohave20-yearoldstellthemwhattodo,butmostlytheyareitching….justitching….totakecharge.Allyouhavetodoistrainthem,empowerthemandgetoutoftheirway.Oncethey’veearnedyourtrust,youdon’tevenhavetobeonsite.
I’verunintomanyanagencyprofessionalwhodon’tthinkthatunsupervisedvolunteerscanbetrusted,soIwanttospendthenextfewminutesbraggingaboutafewivyprojectsI’vebeeninvolvedthatillustratehowwrongthatthinkingis.AndasIdo,
Iwantyoutolookforsomecommonthemes.
Grangebefore I’llstartwiththeSauvieIslandGrangeForest,whereIcutmyninjaeyeteeth.Thistwo-acreforestnexttotheSauvieIslandGrangeHallwascompletelyinfestedwithivyonthetreesandontheground.Itwassobadthatthatthegrangehadgottenaquotefromaloggertoclearcutitbecausetheydidn’tknowhowelsetodealwithit.
Grange-working Italkedthegrangepoobahsofftheclear-cuttingcliffandsetaboutorganizingworkparties.Irecruitedmostlygrangemembers,islandneighborsandfriends,butIalsorecruitedvolunteersthroughSOLVE’sProjectOregon,
ProjectSOLVEwebsite
Ifyouaren’tfamiliarwiththisprogram,checkitoutonline.ProjectOregonallowsanyonetobeaninja---toorganizetheirowneventandcoversvolunteerswithwaivers.Aspartofthisprogram,SOLVEgivesawesometrainingsforgroupleadersandevengivesout$100grantsforbuyingtoolsandgloves.Wetookadvantageofallthosethings.
Cookieladies Manyofthegrangememberswerepastthepointintheirlifewheretheycouldyankonivy,buttheyninja’edbyprovidinghomemadecookiesandjollyinguswhenwecameinfromtherainduringbreaks.
Kathywithgiantivypile
Overfiveworkparties,46differentvolunteersputin496hoursofhardlabor,andthedeadivypiledhigherandhigherastheforesttransformed.
Dumptrucks Bailey’snurseryontheislandgotinvolvedbyhaulingoffourpulledivy---threelargedumptrucksfull!
Paidcrew WeusedoursweatequitytotalktheWestMultnomahConservationDistrictintogettinginvolved.IwroteasuccessfulgranttotheirFISHprogram,andweusedourvolunteerhoursasmatchtowardhavingtheircrewstreatthecornersoftheforestthathadtheworstinfestations.Atthatpoint,theprojectspilledovertoivyattheschoolnextdoorandontothreeprivatepropertiesdowntheroad.Wecleanedupthewholeneighborhood.Yay!!!
Matrix Somethingelsehappened.Intheprocessoftacklingafew
properties,peopleallovertheislandwokeuptothefactthativywasevilandneededtobepurgedfromourlittleparadise.Idrewupamatrixof37ivyinfestationsonourislandandwesetabouttacklingthemonebyone.Volunteersmostlykilledthetreeivy,andinsomeplaces,ODFWandtheConservationDistrictfollowedupwithgroundivysprays.ButMaryandMichaelfromtheconservationdistrictaregoingtalkmoreabouttheirrole.
Jeff,JaneandRob ThatwasthebirthofourTuesdaymorningivygroup,whichisthesecondprojectI’lltalkabouttoday.We’rejustabunchoffriendsthatbondedoverivy.Withoneexception,weareallretired.Ivyisourgym.Ifwearegoingtoworkout,wefigurewemayaswelldosoonaprojectthatyieldsresults.Wesneerjustalittleatallthebikersandjoggersthatspeedbyus,thinkingthattheycouldputtheirmusclesandleisuretimetobetteruse.OurTuesdaymorningsareasocialtime,too.
Mikewithgrove Wesetourownprioritiesandpickourownsites.Ifweworkonahardsiteoneweek,wemightpickaneasieronethenext.AllthegroupmembershaveinputintowhereweshouldgoandIjustsendoutaweeklyemailsayingwherewearegoingtomeet.IsendaquickemailtoourlocalmanagerfriendsatStateParksandODFWtoletthemknowwearegoingtobeontheirpropertyandIsendthemfollowupemailsandsometimesphotostoletthemknowwhatwe’vedone.Theytrustusandrespectusandweknowthattheyreallyappreciateus.Iftheyhavevolunteerwaiversandlogstheywouldlikeustouse,Ikeepthemonfileinmydeskandweusethem.
Geums Thesearesmart,experiencedpeople.Ihearfearsfromagencypeoplethatvolunteerscan’tbetrustedtopulltherightweeds.PeopleinmyTuesdaygroupcantelltheinvasiveGeumurbanumontheleftfromthenativeGeummacrophyllumontheright.Howmanyofyourcontractcrewpeoplecandothat?Enoughsaid.
St.John’sbridge OurbiggestpermissionslipcameformODOT,whoallowsustoworkalongtheirright-of-wayonhighway30.Theydon’thave
abudgetorawilltotreativy,sotheyletushaveatit.Ihopeyou’llhaveachancetodrivealongthatstretchoftheroadandnoticeallthedeadvinesonthetrees.Orthatyou’llvisitSauvieIslandthissummertogetsomevegetablesandwillnoticehowivyfreeitis.
Riverviewfrombridge
I’mgoingtomoveontotalkaboutasecondprojectonaruralroadjustacrossfromourisland.Thisisaprojectthatcouldbeamodelforeveryivy-infestedneighborhoodinthestate.EverytimeIdroveacrossourislandbridge,Iwouldlookattheivyonthehillsideaboveitat.Iimaginedthebirdsenjoyingtheivyberriesandthencomingbacktoourislandtositonourtreeswheretheywouldpoopouttheseeds---whichwouldsproutintonewvines.Icouldn’tstandit.
Riverviewstreetsign
Riverview,thestreetthatgoesupthathillsidehas12housesonruralproperties.ThehousesareonlongnarrowforestedlotsthatbackontoanaturalareaownedbyMetro,ourregionalgovernment.WhenIfirstdroveuptheroadandsawhowmuchivywasthere,Iwasdaunted.Butonlytemporarily.
Carol OnlyuntilImetwithNinjaCarol,oneoftheresidentsofthatstreet.Carol,althoughphysicallynotuptoyankingivyonsteepslopes,knewhowtoorganizeherneighbors.Shenewhowtousehercomputertomakemaps.Sheknewhowtothrowapotluck.Sheknewhowtobakecupcakes.Twoweekslater,IsatonCarol’sdeckwitheightofherneighborsandweplottedthedestructionofthehill’sivy.Ilearnedthattheycherishedthenaturalareabehindtheirhousesandhadbeensadtowatchtheivyslowlytakeover.Afteradeliciousdinner,ItookthemallintoCarol’sbackyardandgaveademonstrationonhowtokillivyvines.
JolynnandTommy
WithCaroldoingtheorganizingandcheerleading,wehadthreeworkpartiesonandthingswereunderway.Butthingsdidn’tstopthere.IsuggestedtoCarolthatsheandherneighborstalktheWestMultnomahConservationDistrict
intohelpingout.Inabigway….byusingtheneighbor’ssweatequityasmatchandhavingthedistrictbringincrewstotacklesomeoftheworstoftheivy.
Carol’smap Carolemademapstofigureoutwhoselandwaswhoseandtonotetheamountofinfestationoneachproperty.Shegotpermissionfromneighborstohavetheirivytreated.
NeighborTomDee
Meanwhile,neighborNinjaTommyDeegottoworkongrantwritingandgot$15,000fromMetroand$25,000fromtheconservationdistricttobringinpaidcrews.Theneighborswereabletousetheirworkpartylaborasmatchforthegrant.Wow!WaytogoCarol,Tommyandneighbors!Weneedtocloneyou!Withneighborslikethat,ivydoesn’tstandachance.
JEFF Sohowdoyoufindninjas?Aretheymade,notborn?Istruggledwithwhattotellyouabouthis.Onethingjustledtoanotherinourneckofthewoods.Ithinktherearesomelessonsforyoutotakehome,though.Oneoftherepeatingthemesamongtheseprojectsisthatthesepeoplemostlyaren’tdrivingacrosstowntotreativyinsomeoneelse’spark.Theyarebeingstewardsofplaceswheretheylove…..intheircollective“backyards.”Theyralliedbecausetheycared.Theycareabouttheseplacesmorethanyoudo.Youhavehundredsofplacesthatclammerforyourattention.Theyarefocused.Second,almostallofthemlearnedtheirivykillingskillsattraditionalworkparties.Andthentheygotobsessed.
SEAN Howdoyoucreateninjas?Trustandempowermentarekey.Micromanagingandcondescensionwillgetyounowhere.Startoutwithtraditionalworkparties,butlookforhighlymotivatedsuperstars.Groomthem.Givethemopportunitiestosupervisecrew-leadothervolunteers.
Shawn FindoutifthereisaplacetheyespeciallycareaboutandencouragethemtouseSOLVE’sProjectOregontoworkonthat
place.Encouragethemtosetuptheirownworkpartiesratherthanwaitingforyoutohavetimetodoit.Givethemyourpermissionandyourblessingtoworkonyoursites.Supportthemandencouragethem,butonceyouhavethemup-to-speed,feelgoodaboutcuttingthecord.
Iwasaskedtotalkalittleaboutthetechnique—abouttreatingivywithoutherbicides.Thetruthis,weactuallyuseaRoundupstumptreatmentformuchofourwork,forreasonsI’lltalkaboutinaminute.I’mwellversedinworkingeitherway,though,I’lltellyouourtechniques,andifyouhaveanybetterideas,I’dlovetohearthem.
David Thetechniquedependsonthesizeofthevine.Ifhasadiameterofapenciluptoacoupleofinches,wecutthevinethreeorfourfeetabovethegroundandpulljusttobottompartawayfromthetree.Wethengruboutalltherootsinacirclearoundthetree.Ifthevineistoobigtoripouttheroots,thenastumptreatmentwithherbicidesisreallytheonlywaytonothaveitturnintoarealmesswhentheivyre-sprouts.
Mark We’vetriedalotofdifferentmethodswithgroundivy,andagain,itdependsonhowthickaninfestationyouareworkingwith.Ifit’sjustlongtendrilsrunningindividuallythroughtheforest,youcanjusttugfirmlyandsteadily,tryingtokeepitfromsnapping.Youhavetopulluptheroots,though.Yes….thoseareivyroutes.
JanieandKen
Onmoreinfestedsites,Wefindivythathascriss-crossedlayersoveritself,sometimeswithvinesaninchorsothickinmatsuptoafootdeep.Intheseplaces,wehaveadifferenttechnique.Itisahugewasteofenergytojuststartyanking.Instead,usingnice,sharphedgetrimmers,tocutseamsintheivythroughallthelayersandpartitionitinto4to5footsquares.
Thenwerolltheivyoffofeachsquare.
Removingivy Disposalofivyafterwe’vepulleditisalwaysanissue.Wearen’talwaysasfortunateaswewereatthegrangehalltohaveadumptruckhaultheivyaway.Ifwehavetoleaveapileofivyonlocation,wetrytoleaveitinplainsightsowecancheckonitlatertomakesurethatitisn’tresprouting.Oneofthebenefitsofworkingonivyclosetohomeisthatwecaneasilycheckbackonplaceswe’vetreated.Whenweareworkinginaplacewheretheivyhasn’tcompletelytakenover,andtherearejustafewtendrilsgoingoffhereandthere,oneofmyfavoritedisposaltechniquesistostuffvinesupintoanearbytreewithrootsdanglingintotheair.Thevineshatethat.
Ihavetosaysomething,though,aboutwhyIdon’treallybelieveintreatingbigvineswithoutusingherbicides,likeninjaShawnhasjustdoneinthisphoto..Wehaveworkedonsomeremotesiteswhereivyhasneverbeentreated,andtheivyactsverydifferentlythaninsiteswhereithaspreviouslybeenhackedon.Inremoteareas,weseesiteswhereabirdpoopedoutanivyseedatthebaseofatreeandyearslater,whenwearriveonthescene,thereisjustoneorjustafewenormousvinesgoingupthetree.Thereisnoivyontheground.We’veseensimilarsitesweresomeonecamealongandcutalargevine,withouttreatingthestumptokilltheroots,andthesceneisverydifferent.It’sasifthevinedecidedthatsinceitwasblockedfromgoingupthattree,itwouldsproutfromtherootstogoupthenexttreeandthenextoneandthennextone.Andthenthereisivyalloverthegroundandallthroughtheforest.Atthatpoint,LOTSofherbicideisneededtogetagoodkill.Sowejustpackinalittlesquirtbottle---thekindmadeforusewithchemicals--ofhalfundilutedRoundupandhalfwater,withalittledyeinitsoIcanseewhatI’vedoneandhaven’tdone.Andaswecutvines,wegivethecutareaasquirt.
Ivyslope Ithinkit’simportant,beforeIfinishandsitdown,totouchonthreeinstanceswhereweninjasdrawthelineatdoingivyworkasvolunteersandwherewethinkyoushoulddrawalineforvolunteersaswell.
---Thefirst---Steepslopes—Wedosometreeivyworkscramblingaroundonsteepslopes,butforsomeofthemwewouldneedtoberopedup.PLUS,wewanttomakesurewedon’tdestabilizeanyslopesandcauselandslides.!Wedon’twanttoberesponsible!
Hornets --Secondly,wedon’tworkaroundhornets.Wewillworkallwinterinrainandblusteringwind.Butwewon’tworkinSeptemberandOctoberwhenthehornetsgetangryatusforgettingtooneartheirnests.Wejusttakeacoupleofmonthsoff.Ifyouareschedulingvolunteerworkparties,Istronglysuggestyouskiptheearlyfallaswell…oratleastscoutthesiteyourselfbeforeyousendoutvolunteers.
Poisonoak Thirdis---workingaroundPoisonOak.Wedon’talwaysseeituntilit’stoolate,sogettingthoseitchyouzyrashesisanoccupationalhazard.Butwestayoutofitwhenwecan.Whenweseepoisonoakvinesthatareasbigastheivyvines,weruntheotherway.Thereareplentyofivy-infestedplacestoworkinthatdon’thaveit.
Technu Apauseforabriefcommericialaboutthreeproductsweallkeepinourivywarriortoolboxthesedays,andthatyoumightwanttoprovideforyourvolunteersaswell.YouprobablyallhaveTechnuinyourglovecompartment.Ifyoudon’t,youshould.It’s’sforscrubbingplacesthatmighthavebeenexposed.
ZanefelandIvyX Buthavegrownfondoftwootherproductswe’vediscoveredthatwe’vehadtoorderovertheinternet.IvyXisapre-treatment,aprophalacticsotospeak,thatwerubontoourfacesandthosevulnerableplacesonourwrists—whereourglovesandourlongsleevesdon’tquitemeetBEFOREweheadoutintoplacesthatmighthavepoisonoak.Ifyouareworkingwithvolunteers,orevenpaidcrews,youmightwanttohaveitavailableonthetablewherepeoplecheckin.Itworks.Anotherproduct,Zanefel,istheonlyover-the-counterproduct
we’vefoundthatworksontherashonceit’sitchingandoozing.
That’sallIhavetotellyou.Goodluck.Hopeyoufindlotsofninja.Anyquestions.
Iwanttotalkaboutoneothergroup:RogueweedwarriorsI’mpartofthe4-countyCWMAgroup’seducationandoutreachcommittee.Lastyear,wehadacoupleofdiscussionsaboutjustthisaudience.Thesearethepeoplewhowalktheirdogsthroughtheparkandripoutivyandleaveitonthetrail.Theylikelywouldn’tsignupforatraditionalworkparty,butliketherestofus,justcan’tstandtoseeivyinvadingtheirfavoriteplaces.
I’vealwayswantedtopostsignsattrailheadstoenlistthesepeopleinmoreconcertedefforts.Tohaveatrainingwithcookiesforthemandbiscuitsfortheirdogstopointoutwhatwewantthemtopullandwhatwewantthemtoleave.
Minions, soldiers and ninjas:
The ivy-killing power of volunteers
Jane Hartline, Sauvie Island Habitat Partnership
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Riverview street sign
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Poison oak – An occupational hazard
