[APWG] [ma-eppc] Microstegium control in West Virginia.

[Marc Imlay]

Beefsteak plant, Perilla frutescens, is spreading rapidly. Since "This plant
contains 

a ketone that may cause a lethal respiratory disease if eaten by cattle. The
essential 

oil is used to flavor foods in the Orient, a possibly dangerous practice.
See Science 

5 Aug. 1977." *, would it kill deer or would they avoid it?

 

Marc

 

 Marc Imlay, PhD
Conservation biologist, Anacostia Watershed Society
(301-699-6204, 301-283-0808 301-442-5657 cell)
Board member of the Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council,
Hui o Laka at Kokee State Park, Hawaii
Vice president of the Maryland Native Plant Society,
Chair of the Biodiversity and Habitat Stewardship Committee
for the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club.



 

*Brown and Brown, Herbaceous Plants of Maryland, 1984, The Book Center,
University 

of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, (The Department of Botany)

 

  _____  

From: ma-eppc at yahoogroups.com [mailto:ma-eppc at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Michael Van Clef
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 7:56 AM
To: sue_salmons at nps.gov
Cc: forestruss at aol.com; ficmnew at mail.afpmb.org; jrandall at unc.edu;
ma-eppc at yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [ma-eppc] Microstegium control in West Virginia.

 

To be fair to Paul, he did tell me about these issues and was only using the
compound in upland areas where there was significant native vegetation (i.e.
stiltgrass still in definable patches and intermixed with desirable
species).  The relative 'nastiness' of the compound prompted him to try it
at half the label concentration.  
 
The prevalence of stiltgrass in wetlands does present a significant
herbicide problem though.  Is there a grass-specific that is approved for
wetlands (how about the ones mentioned by Bruce)?  
 
>From the peanut gallery --- I would have concerns about applying ANY
herbicide in areas where stiltgrass covers 100's of acres when it is
apparent that deer are having profound impacts on the native shrub layer (I
often find badly browsed shrubs sticking up out of stiltgrass infestations).
Aggressive hunting/culling is the medium and long term goal.  Some hunters
are a little rough around the edges, but all are less toxic than Assure or
even Round Up!
 
-Mike Van Clef 






  _____  


 To: mvanclef at hotmail.com
 CC: forestruss at aol.com; apwg at lists.plantconservation.org;
ficmnew at mail.afpmb.org; jrandall at unc.edu; "Marc Imlay"@nps.gov;
ma-eppc at yahoogroups.com
 From: sue_salmons at nps.gov
 Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2006 16:01:12 -0400
 Subject: RE: [ma-eppc] Microstegium control in West Virginia.
 
 This sounds very impressive, until ,you read the Material Safety Data Sheet
 and Label.  It is moderately toxic to many animals, can be harmful to
 humans in several ways, and is toxic to aquatic organisms. So it can't be
 used on floodplains or anywhere near open water or wet soils.  Most of the
 stilt grass I deal with in the mid-Atlantic is on floodplains. It moves
 into upland areas readily, of course, but starts in wet areas.
 A consideration....
 SueS
 
 Sue Salmons
 Liaison - Exotic Plant Management Team
 National Capital Region
 202-342-1443 ext. 217
 
 
 

                       "Michael Van

                       Clef"                    To:       "Johnny Randall"
<jrandall at unc.edu>; "Marc Imlay" <ialm at erols.com>            
                       <mvanclef at hotmail        cc:
forestruss at aol.com; apwg at lists.plantconservation.org; "'ficmnew'"

                       .com>                     <ficmnew at mail.afpmb.org>;
ma-eppc at yahoogroups.com, (bcc: Sue Salmons/NCR/NPS)          
                       Sent by:                 Subject:  RE: [ma-eppc]
Microstegium control in West Virginia.                          
                       ma-eppc at yahoogrou

                       ps.com

 

 

                       08/15/2006 02:58

                       PM AST

 

 
 
 
 
 The following is a stiltgrass control method developed by Paul Brangs, The
 Nature Conservancy of New Jersey (the specificity of the kill was quite
 remarkable):
 
 Product: Assure II
 Concentrations (comes in concentrated form and has no surfactants):
 standard concentration (0.5 oz/gal water), half concentration (0.25
 oz/gal).
 Surfactant: non-ionic surfactant in the recommended concentration (0.3
 oz/gal).
 
 I found that they both killed virtually 100% of the stilt grass, the lower
 concentration just killed it more slowly.  I sprayed heavily (with
 dripping).  It did not kill broadleaf, ferns, sedges and even some other
 grasses.  All this was just from casual looks as I checked the treatments,
 not from any detailed study.
 
 Also note that there is a direct relationship between deer over browse and
 stiltgrass abundance.  A couple of deer exclosures at Jockey Hollow
 National Historic Park are located within oceans of stiltgrass that stop
 dead in their tracks upon reaching exclosures containing a dense shrub
 layer, which indicates that stiltgrass cannot tolerate very deep shade.
 Would love to hear if anyone else is seeing a similar pattern across the
 mid-Atlantic!
 
 Although it is a long-term stiltgrass control method, reducing deer
 populations to achieve overall 'forest health' (e.g. native shrub layer,
 advance tree regeneration,etc.) should be the goal.
 
 -Mike Van Clef
 Ecological Solutions, LLC
 
 
 




 

 

 


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