[APWG] After you use Plateau (fwd)...then what? (fwd)

[Marc Imlay]

There are seven site scenarios that require remarkably different control
regimes. Scenario 4 below is a generalized prescription for the site
described by Craig and Jack.

1.  Pristine.  These areas are typically less than 10% invaded (in terms
of biomass or canopy and cover of all invasive plant species cumulatively).
Recommend proactive strategy of identifying and protecting relatively
pristine areas from invasion.

2.  Very sensitive areas.  Recommend proactive strategy of identifying and
protecting areas supporting desirable species from invasion. The old saying
"protect the last of the least and the best of the rest" is one way to
distinguish between this and the previous priority.

3.  Somewhat more disturbed areas.  This classification would include areas
with a 10-30% cover of invasives. Selectivity is extremely important because
monocultures of invasives have not necessarily formed yet.

4.  Very large, generally disturbed areas. Identify remnant patches of
native vegetation for sensitive control followed by aggressive treatments
of the monocultures, including revegetation with native species, biological
control, and extensive spraying.

5.  Areas undergoing ecosystem function restoration.  For such areas
undergoing restoration of nutrient depleted eroded areas, natural mosaic
pattern of fire, cropland and plantations to natural systems, biological
migration corridors, and hydrological or wetland restoration remove alien
invasive species that benefit from the restoration before it actually
begins.

6.  Areas undergoing rapid conversions into monocultures by particularly
aggressive species.  These site conditions would apply to any type of
project including but not limited to residential, rangeland/farms,
backcountry, aquatic wetland, right-of-way, etc.

7. Scenario of bare ground -highly disturbed due to development (including
road-building and gravel pit areas) and active farming. Bare ground is
vulnerable to infestations from a) within the existing soil, imported soils,
seed mixes, mulches; and from b) adjacent seed propagules across the
fence line. This is a prevention arena with possible predictions that should
be made and planned for (included in specifications that defines chemical
use when species requires) so that these invasives waiting to happen have
little chance to infest.

Marc


----- Original Message -----
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2004 15:07:20 -0800
From: Craig Dremann <craig at ecoseeds.com>
To: Plant Conservation <plant at plantconservation.org>
Subject: After you use Plateau (fwd)...then what?

RE: After Plateau and after the removal of cheatgrass...then what?

Dear All,

I didn't see anything in that posting about Plateau and its use against
cheatgrass that discussed the day-after.

I know Pleateau has been suggested as the solution for cheatgrass, but
after you have sprayed the cheatgrass, especially during the multi-year
drought that the Great Basin has been experiencing
<http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html>, what do you get?  Bare
earth, that becomes the new spot for another exotic plant to recolonize?

I believe the better route is skip the herbicides, and go directly to
ecological restoration of the local native bunchgrass communities on the
land that the cheatgrasses currently occupies.  You can see photos of a
possibility of that future at http://www.ecoseeds.com/greatbasin.html

"Look, no cheatgrass!...and miles and miles of local native grasslands"

Sincerely, Craig Dremann, Redwood City, CAlifornia (650) 325-7333

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2004 10:35:16 -0800
From: jtasoff <jtasoff at cox.net>
To: CaliforniaWeedTalk at topica.com,
     'Plant Conservation' <plant at plantconservation.org>,
     'California Native Plants' <CA-NATIVES at CALYPTEANNA.COM>
Subject: FW: The Native Grass Manager Online, February 13, 2004

My apologies for the cross posting, but I believe the following is of
extreme importance. Plateau herbicide is fairly specific for Bromus
tectorum (cheatgrass) and spurge. It has not yet been approved for use in
California, but has been used in the prairie states in very successful
restorations of warm weather prairie grasses and forbs. It has been touted
by some sources as the first and only method to control Bromus tectorum,
which in my lay opinion, is the greatest destroyer of our native plant
ecosystem. As to ranchers, it is a means to control cheatgrass, a poor
feed for livestock due to the short period of time that the cattle find it
edible. A byproduct of ranchers eliminating cheatgrass is a widespread
restoration of native grasses and forbs. Additionally, cheatgrass has a
fire regimen of approximately 6 to 8 years and its elimination would help
avoid unwanted fires.

Jack Tasoff
San Pedro, California
jtasoff at cox.net