managing invasive woodland plants
DESCRIPTION
Comprehensive presentation on managing invasive woodland plants. Please respect author acknowledgement protocol.TRANSCRIPT
Today’s Outcomes
• Know why species are invasive• Determine management goals• Understand range of management methods• Know integrated strategies
From John T. Curtis,
Vegetation of Wisconsin, 1959
Early Vegetation
Early Invasives?
“Our waters filled with fish, and the air with game birds, and the rock ledges with rattlesnakes, and the woods with large game…We have no Canada thistles or mean men.”
Wm. H Canfield, 1842Sauk County Surveyor
Invasive Beginnings
Wisconsin Historical Society
Invasives Follow Us
Definitions
“Invasive” definitions differ depending on the goal.
“…causes economic harm to….” “interferes with land management goals…” “kills or displaces populations of native species…”
What makes a plant invasive?
• Tolerate wide range of soil, light, other conditions
• Enjoy longer growing period• Ability to alter soil chemistry• Prolific seed production• Have few or no natural controls
What do we do?
Learn to ID and know plants’ biology Take inventory, map Create a plan Learn & use control methods Monitor & adapt
Know thy enemy
Learn to identify the plants Seedling Adult Dormancy
Learn plants’ biology Annual Biennial Perennial
Know thy enemy
AnnualsLive one growing seasonSurvive through seedRagweed, foxtails
Know Thy Enemy: biennials
Live TWO growing seasonsSurvive through, and produce a lot of, seed
Garlic mustard*Wild parsnipBull, musk, plumeless thistleSweet cloverSpotted knapweed
Biennial biology
• Seedling/rosette yr 1• Flower, then die yr 2• Spread by seed only
– Vehicles– Shoes– Animals – Water
Garlic Mustard Effects
• Release soil toxins.• Disrupt soil-fungi
associations.• Reduce/prevent tree
regeneration.
Biennials: Bull, musk, plumeless thistle
Know Thy Enemy: Perennials
Greater threat to woodland goalsLive many growing seasonsSurvive through stored root energyReproduce via seeds, suckers, rootsImportant to know if:
Simple roots (honeysuckle)Creeping or clonal roots (Canada thistle)
Perennial: Multiflora Rose
Identifying characteristic:
bristles at base of petiole
Perennial: Multiflora Rose
Perennial: Common buckthorn
• Male & female plants.• Visible late into fall.• Use these features to
your advantage.
Unfair competition. . .
Perennials: Bush Honeysuckles
Habitat: upland, especially under roost treesBlooms: May to June; white, yellow, orange or pinkBerries: orange or redEarly leaf-out, late leaf drop
Perennials: Autumn olive
Habitat: dry uplandBlooms: May to JuneFlowers white and fragrantReproduces mostly by root suckering
Autumn olive
Perennial vine: Oriental bittersweet
• Woody vine that climbs other vegetation
• Thrives in a wide range of conditions
• Grows to 60+’ in length• Introduced as an
ornamental
Urtica/Flickr creative commons
Human vectored dispersal
Highly invasive and damaging
Vines strangle trees, reduce available light; added vine weight can break trees
Distinguishing bittersweets
American Oriental
Fruit capsule color
Fruit position
Problem Ornamental Species
• Japanese knotweed• Japanese barberry• buckthorns• Asian honeysuckles• Amur maple• Common tansy• Oriental, or Round-
leaved bittersweet
Take inventory
Aerial photo or scaled lot layout Estimate species present & density Identify land use – past, present & future Look beyond your property lines
Take Inventory
Prioritize!
Importance of habitat? Size of population? Rate of spread? Interfere with land use? Resources available? Other priorities?
General Management Strategies• Monitor, especially
along trails, roads• Look beyond property
lines• Prioritize species; areas• Timing is critical• Attack outer edges first
Management methods• Ounce of prevention…• Pull• Cut/Mow • Girdle• Cut stem• Graze• Prescribed fire• Herbicide (foliar, basal bark)• Integrated methods
Prevention
• Encourage competition• Early detection & removal of new species• Consider steps to prevent introduction during
timber management
Pull• Good for young people,
small infestations, small plants.
• *Flowers can still set seed after pulling.
Mow/Cut• Goal: weaken plant; prevent seed set.• Timing is critical—best when in flower.• Repeated mowing often needed• Weakens, but may not kill plants.• Can be combined with herbicide methods.
Mowing/Cutting Equipment
Grazing
Principles similar to mowingGoats can be “trained” to some speciesRepeated treatments necessaryContractors available
Girdle
• Goal: starve roots• Good for clonal tree
species.• Labor intensive.• Very effective if done
correctly.• Timing: June-July best.• 1 or 2 step method.
Photo courtesy of Tom Brock
Photo courtesy: Tom Brock
Girdling – Step 1 Girdling – Step 2
Cut-Stem Treatment• Goal: kill plant• Good winter option• Very targeted use
of herbicides
Photo: Savanna Oaks Foundation, Inc
Phot
o co
urte
sy o
f Tom
Bro
ck
Cut-stem Control Method
Target: • Shrubs/trees• buckthorn, honeysuckle, autumn olive, prickly ash,
multi-flora rose, undesirable trees, etc.
Herbicides: • Systemic• Active ingredients glyphosate (Roundup/generic) or
triclopyr (Garlon 4/Element 4)
Cut-stem Control Method
Timing: • Summer, Fall or Winter preferred• Avoid early spring and deep snow periods• Above-freezing temps with glyphosate• Triclopyr (Garlon) at any temperature• Apply glyphosate within minutes of cutting.
Cut-stem Control Method
Technique: • Cut stems at no higher than 6”.• Work in pairs, if possible, to
avoid “escapes”.• Work in a pattern.• Treat only outer edge of larger
stumps.
Photo courtesy: Tom Brock
Prescribed Fire
Photo courtesy of Tom Brock
Requires training, experience
Specialized equipment Good public relations Good neighbor relations Timing! Effective when integrated
with other methods
Foliar herbicide
• Safety first• Better for larger infestations• Selective vs. non-selective
herbicides• Pre- vs. post-emergence
application
Foliar herbicide
Timing• Rosette stage best for
biennials.• Before flowering, in
general.• Combine with fire/mow.
Basal bark herbicide
• Small; smooth bark• Generally, single-stem
shrubs & trees• Treat all clone stems• Oil-based chemicals
(triclopyr: Garlon 4 or Element 4)
Photos courtesy of Tom Brock
Integrated Methods
• Successful control efforts include:– Integrated approach– monitoring – early detection.
Photos courtesy Tom Brock
Other Precautions
• Clean boots to prevent seed spread (wheeled vehicles, too?).
• Minimize soil disturbance.• Consider spread by wildlife & water.• Monitor imported materials (gravel, topsoil,
mulch, etc).
Develop a management plan•Garlic mustard detected•Goal is to …
Road
Develop a management plan
Road
Garlic mustard control1. Develop a map2. Satellite plants--goal to eradicate.3. Extensive patch along road--goal
to prevent further spread.
Example Plan
• Satellite populations:– Pull 2nd year plants before flowering– Spray 1st year plants in fall or very early spring
Example Plan
• Large patch along road/trail:– Mow, pull, spray along road before seed set.– Work perimeter inward
• Spray rosettes fall/early spring• Pull escapes in between
• Repeat, monitor, re-map subsequent years.
Volunteer Opportunities
Learn while doing• Kickapoo Valley Woods Cooperative• The Prairie Enthusiasts• The Nature Conservancy
Other Resources
• County Extension office– fyi.uwex.edu/weedsci
• County DNR foresters– dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestHealth/
• Oaksavannas.org• www.ipaw.org
Summary
• Early detection & prevention are critical• New species introduction & spread mostly
dependent on our behavior• Set realistic goals• Make a plan, then adapt, using…• Integrated methods
Questions?
[email protected](608) 355-3554