[APWG] FW: [MAIPC] Hi. I'm your MAIPC Maryland State Representative along with Carole Bergmann

[Marc Imlay]

Message requested for board members of Mid-Atlantic-Invasive-Plant-Council:

 

From: MAIPC [mailto:maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org] On Behalf Of Marc Imlay
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2018 11:36 PM
To: 'MAIPC' <maipc at lists.maipc.org>
Subject: [MAIPC] Hi. I'm your MAIPC Maryland State Representative along with
Carole Bergmann

 

 

Have a good year,  MAIPC List Serve,

 

My name is Marc James Imlay. As a Maryland representative board member, I
share success stories on saving our native ecosystems from non-native
invasive species. I say good year because I have found every month of the
year critical for taking action. 

 

My first introduction to invasive plants was at the 1,200 acre Kokee State
Park in Hawaii, which includes the adjacent Waimea Canyon and Na Pali Coast
State Parks, where we are preventing 5% of all endangered plant species on
the national list from being smothered by alien invasive strawberry guava
(Psidium cattleianum), kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum), firetree
(Myrica faya), black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) and privet (Ligustrum
sinense).  We had been advised that it was impracticable to control these
species.  However as volunteers we have converted over 600 acres from
roughly 75% native species to over 95% native species with 15,015 hours of
work in 2 years time. My wife and I volunteered there about 25 years ago. 

 

Regular volunteer workdays are scheduled by the non-profit Hui o Laka-Koke'e
Natural History Museum, in partnership with the Department of Land & Natural
Resource's, with funding from the US. Fish & Wildlife Service on the first
Saturday of each month. On these "Save our Maile and Mokihana" days,
volunteers remove weeds in forest areas rich in native plants important to
Hawaiian culture as well as native greenbriar, raspberry, lilly, holly and
cranberry. Those interested in volunteering should call Katie Cassel at
(808) 335-9975 extension 2. Supervised service projects are offered for
groups and individuals at this or other times, with rustic overnight housing
available at the Koke'e CCC Camp."

 

When we came back to Maryland I applied what I learned to our 200 acre local
Charles County Swann Park in Southern Maryland. It went from 80% native to
95% native in 5 years about 2 decades ago. Since then only Japanese Stilt
grass have we not been able to fully control.  

 

I work for National Capital Parks and Planning Commission and have restored
3 of our parks of about 200 acres in Prince George's County Maryland to
about 90% native with the help of volunteers. Since then only Japanese Stilt
grass and Wavyleaf Basket Grass have we not been able to fully control. I
have assisted Clearwater Nature Center to successfully restore their 50
acres to almost all native species. 

 

Because controlling invasive plants has become much harder in the last 10
years for many of us, I am also facilitating research into host specific,
effective, biological controls. When the biological control for
Mile-a-minute was released I found that my annual work load for control of
all invasive species was reduced about 10%! 

 

Marc Imlay, PhD, 

Conservation biologist, Park Ranger Office, Non-native Invasive Plant
Control coordinator. 
(301) 442-5657 cell   <mailto:ialm at erols.com> ialm at erols.com
Natural and Historical Resources Division
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
 
<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pgparks
.com%2F&data=02%7C01%7Calyssa.geoghan%40mbakerintl.com%7Cefa117662af045e2626
808d58c5e3aaf%7C4e1ee3db4df64142b7b9bec15f171ca4%7C0%7C1%7C63656925873573410
9&sdata=cOEnOVDAc7NGwGnat6SKG223HN66Npoaygud76bhh1o%3D&reserved=0>
www.pgparks.com 

MD Chapter Sierra Club Natural Places Chair. 

 



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