[APWG] Ecosystem Restoration Plants Colonizing Alien Management [CalWeedTalk] Removing invasive grasses

[Wayne Tyson]

Holly:

Please note some amendments to my original text, submitted herewith with apologies for any misunderstanding or lack of clarity--I knocked it out a bit too quickly, off the top of my head. 

WT

PS: Please inform me of results. It would be interesting, if the area is more or less homogeneous, to set up some field trials to compare techniques. This can be a bit tricky; one technique I've used is to use circular plots spaced far enough apart within a treated area to avoid "edge contamination." If possible, no plots should be downwind from any of the other plots. And, of course, it's best if the results can be replicated to minimize chance and "luck" as factors. 


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Wayne Tyson" <landrest at cox.net>
To: <hslettel at calpoly.edu>; <apwg at lists.plantconservation.org>; "'californiaweedtalk at topica.com'" <CaliforniaWeedTalk at topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2011 2:04 AM
Subject: Re: [CalWeedTalk] Removing invasive grasses


> 1. Do not disturb soil for any reason.
> 2. Cut back the tall grasses to a convenient height; destroy seeds and 
> stolons/rhizomes. Cut them green, before they are capable of dehiscence (if 
> this is a problem, use a torch to cautiously cut bundles wrapped with bags 
> to contain seed.
> 3. Let new leaves form.
> 4. Touch/swipe with wet wick with degradable herbicide sufficient for a good 
> kill. Do not spray (Very low pressure with spray drift guard attached to 
> head of wand, coarse spray only, zero atomization, to wet only target 
> [larger] plants is ok if you are very careful). Do not remove dead plants.
> 5. Work hard to determine optimal concentration and dose--start with light 
> concentration and minimal dose and increase gradually.
> 6. Increase density of indigenous species.
> 7. Plug ten square meter circles with (say ten?) soil samples taken 
> widely-spaced from donor/comparable site (to minimize potential damage to donor site), placing them evenly over entire treatment 
> site as budget will permit. You can plug in indigenous plants the same way, at 
> the same time. Each year, add plugs until a satisfactory density is reached.
> 8. Do entire site at one time.
> 9. Keep after it with zero-tolerance removal of new sprouts or steps above.
> 10. Apply patience liberally.
> 11. Measure and map initially, after treatment, and during follow-up, 
> measuring and mapping trends.
> 12. Minimize trampling.
> 
> WT
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Holly Sletteland" <hslettel at calpoly.edu>
> To: <apwg at lists.plantconservation.org>; "'californiaweedtalk at topica.com'" 
> <CaliforniaWeedTalk at topica.com>
> Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 7:19 PM
> Subject: [CalWeedTalk] Removing invasive grasses
> 
> 
>>
>> Does anyone have any suggestions on an approach for removing invasive
>> grasses that are inter-mixed with wetland vegetation such as rushes, 
>> sedges
>> and native salt grass? The grasses we are dealing with are veldt grass
>> (Ehrharta calycina) and velvet grass (Holcus lanatus) primarily. We have a
>> real problem and we're not winning the battle by hand digging. There's too
>> much of a seed bank and the soil disturbance just brings up a whole new
>> crop. I'm thinking of perhaps "sacrificing" a section at a time and just
>> spraying everything and replanting wetland vegetation. I would try to hold
>> the line against any new invaders and move to a new section when things 
>> were
>> pretty well established. It might be  easier to control new grass shoots.
>> But I recoil at the thought of killing that many native plants. Are there
>> any selective herbicides (or concentrations) that would set the grasses
>> back, but not do in the sedges and rushes? Any other mechanical methods -
>> mulches, weed barriers, flamers, whatever that anyone has used with any
>> success? Help!
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>> Holly Sletteland
>> Preserve Manager
>> Morro Coast Audubon Society
>> PO Box 1507
>> Morro Bay, CA 93443
>> 805.772.1991 / 805.239.3928
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
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