[APWG] Public project review & the value of successful test plots

[Craig Dremann - Redwood City Seed Company]

Dear Wayne and All,

Regarding the CALTRANS project along I-505 in the Sacramento valley, I
have been photographing the results of that $450,000 project for two
acres, to convert the yellow star thistle to local native perennial
grasses, at least once a year for the last 8 years.

On my web page at http://www.ecoseeds.com/road.test.html, a map of the
treated areas are on the web page, or at
http://www.ecoseeds.com/Dunnigan.GIF.

You can see a picture of what the California highway department is trying
to convert, and what catches fire every summer along the Interstate, at
http://www.ecoseeds.com/starthistle_roadsidethick.jpg.

Also, a picture from August last year, of the latest planting attempt in
the west-side plot along I-505 of scattered plants with too much space in
between, which is probably going to give spaces for the weeds to regrow
and eat that planting for breakfast, at
http://www.ecoseeds.com/drillseed_8-10.jpg

If we are going to use local natives to take the place of exotic plants,
we need to take the time and make the investment, to do small scale test
plots, and get consistent successes on small scales first, like areas the
size of two meters by two meters, before we even attempt two acres or
more.

I have some test plots in the hills of Palo Alto this spring, and each
treatment is only one square foot each, and getting very interesting
results.  My ex-situ test plots filled with weed-infested soil in pots in
December, were done in plastic pots only 2-3/4 inch square, where I can
test 40 different treatments in a one by two foot square box, also with
very interesting results.

Sincerely,  Craig Dremann (650) 325-7333