[MPWG] Question of the month: Invasives removal amidst harvestablemedicinals

Thu Jul 8 09:31:14 CDT 2004

But if you're wildcrafting on non-private land, how do you know (or how
can you guarantee) that no substances have been applied while you
weren't watching?  

Alan Trachtenberg, MD, MPH, Research Director, 
Indian Health Service, 
United States Public Health Service 
Phone: 301-443-0578; fax: 301-443-5685 

________________________________

From: MPWG-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
[mailto:MPWG-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of Michael
McGuffin
Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 05:10 PM
To: mpwg
Subject: Re: [MPWG] Question of the month: Invasives removal amidst
harvestablemedicinals

...a tardy comment:

The message below states, "Because 2% glyphosate is biodegradable, with
a half-life of 25 days, it has been used by organic farmers."

The problem with this is that the use of glyphosate is not allowed on a
farm that wishes to maintain status as an organic farm nor do
agricultural products produced on such a farm meet the definition of an
organic product. USDA has commented on the relevance of the organic
regulations to marketing wild harvested ingredients as organic, for
example:

A wild crop that is to be sold, labeled, or represented as "100 percent
organic," "organic," or "made with organic (specified ingredients or
food group(s))" must be harvested from a designated area that has had no
prohibited substances applied to it for a period of 3 years immediately
preceding the harvest of the wild crop. The wild crop must also be
harvested in a manner that ensures such harvesting or gathering will not
be destructive to the environment and will sustain the growth and
production of the wild crop. (Federal Register, Dec, 21, 2000, page
80560).

The regulations also state that, in order for a product to be sold as
organic it must be produced and handled without the use of any synthetic
substance (which would include glyphosate) unless it has been
specifically listed in the regulations as allowed for use in organic
crop production (which glyphosate is not). The only herbicides that are
allowed are are "soap-based herbicides," and there use is limited to
"use in farmstead maintenance (roadways, ditches, right of ways,
building perimeters) and ornamental crops."

Michael McGuffin

Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov wrote:

Here's the first installment of what I hope will be a regular monthly
affair - The Question of the Month.  This month's question came about as
a
result of questions from you - the MPWG listserve!

The Question:
When plant invasions are beyond mechanical means of control (i.e. hand
pulling), are there any chemical methods of control that can be used and
still allow one to continue to harvest medicinals (or other plants for
human consumption) or, better yet, to retain "organic" status?

An Answer:
You may recall recent e-mails over the MPWG listserve regarding Japanese
Stilt Grass (JSG).  Here is a summary of the information that was
provided
in that discussion.

   According to Marc Imlay (the Vice-President of the Maryland Native
Plant
   Society and member of our sister working group the Alien Plant
Working
   Group, with extensive experience in integrated pest management
(IPM)),
   once an invasion is beyond control by mechanical means, 2% glyphosate
   (a.k.a is Roundup) is an alternative.  Because 2% glyphosate is
   biodegradable, with a half-life of 25 days, it has been used by
organic
   farmers.  Following, is a brief discussion of Marc's observations and
   strategies in invasives removal using 2% gylphosate.

   Case Study: Japanese Stilt Grass
   Once mechanical means have been exhusted, "JSG is relatively easy to
   control.  It is extremely sensitive to glyphosate, for example.  We
   apply 2% glyphosate with virtually no impact on native plants because
we
   use our solo 3 gallon backpack sprayer very slowly. We do not linger
on
   each plant but we go very slowly and avoid the natives very easily
   (spray-to-glisten).  Used this way, the chiemical does not migrate,
and
   it biodegrades quickly.  Most of the seed bank is gone by the third
year
   and hand pulling becomes appropriate."

   Eradication in action?
   This excerpt is from actual field notes taken at an invasive
eradication
   site.

      Japanese stilt grass - Microstegium vimineum

      Method. In areas where the stiltgrass had formed a monoculture, we
      used a 2% solution of RoundUp applied with a back pack sprayer,
Used
      this way, RoundUp does not migrate, and it biodegrades quickly.
Where
      the stiltgrass plants were mixed with native plants or adjacent to
      wetlands (about 5% of the population), volunteers hand-pulled the
      stiltgrass. We apply 2 % glyphosate with virtually no impact on
      native plants because we use our solo 3 gallon backpack sprayer
very
      slowly. We do not linger on each plant but we go very slowly and
      avoid the natives very easily (spray-to-glisten).  Sprayers are
      taught to recognize native plants first. We control stiltgrass
before
      seed is produced and check the following year for results in May
or
      June, as opposed to August or September, because individual stems
      will grow to expand into the available space and Japanese stilt
grass
      reqrowth from the seed bank will appear to be more extensive than
is
      actually the case.

Summary:
This is not intended to be THE solution - it is an approach to the
problem.
Before beginning any eradication program, please educate yourself about
the
"problem" and the options.  Learn about the invasive species in
question.
Connect with local expertise.  Understand the ecosystem in which you are
working.  Get information on the variety of control mechanisms that are
at
your disposal and the effect that they have on the ecosystem.  Here are
some links to get you started...

Alien Plant Working Group (APWG) Website at: www.nps.gov/plants/alien

      Part of the Plant Conservation Alliance, APWG's site provides

      information for the general public, land managers, researchers,
and   
      others on the serious threat and impacts of invasive alien
(exotic,   
      non-native) plants to the native flora, fauna, and natural

      ecosystems of the United States.  Their "Weeds Gone Wild: Alien

      Plant Invaders of Natural Areas" provides a compiled national list

      of invasive plants infesting natural areas throughout the U.S.,

      background information on the problem of invasive species,

      illustrated fact sheets that include plant descriptions, native

      range, distribution and habitat in the U.S., management options,

      suggested alternative native plants, and other information, and

      selected links to relevant people and organizations.  Check out
the   
      Fact Sheet on Japanese Stilt Grass at:

      http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/mivi1.htm

         Ways to get involved in APWG!

            write an invasives fact sheet (

            http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/list/authorinfo.htm), or

            join their listserve (

            http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/maillist.htm)

The IUCN-Invasive Species Specialist Group at: www.invasives.org

    The Invasive Species Specialist

    Group (ISSG) is part of the

    Species Survival Commission (SSC)

    of The World Conservation Union

    (IUCN). The ISSG is a global

    group of 146 scientific and

    policy experts on invasive

    species from 41 countries.

    Membership is by invitation from

    the group chair, but everyone's

    participation in the discussion

    on invasives is encouraged. In

    addition, to its headquarters in

    Auckland, New Zealand, ISSG has

    three regional sections in North

    America, Europe, and South Asia.

Restoration Working Group (RWG) Website at: www.nps.gov/plants/restore

   The mission of the Plant Conservation Alliance's Restoration Working
   Group (RWG) is to facilitate the implementation of numerous
successful
   restoration projects throughout the country. RWG has developed action
   items in the areas of Federal Policies and Guidelines, Funding,
   Research, Resources, Prevention, and Public Outreach.

 National Park Service Exotic Plant Management

 Teams at: www.nature.nps.gov/biology/invasive

 species/

    Exotic plants infest approximately 2.6

    million acres in the national parks.

    Invasive animals are affecting 234 parks.

    "Control of exotic species is one of the

    most significant land management issues

    facing national parks."  Seventeen Exotic

    Plant Mangement Teams have been deployed

    throughout the U.S. to combat exotic plant

    invasions in the national park system.

 Native Plant Societies at:

 michbotclub.org/links/native_plant_society.htm

   Native plant societies are a great source of information and
volunteers
   (for pulls).  This link provides a pretty comprehensive list of
Native
   Plant Societies in the U.S. and Canada.  Join one near you!

Glyphosate Fact Sheets:

    Environmental Protection Agency Consumer Factsheet on GLYPHOSATE

www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/dw_contamfs/glyphosa.html

   Glyphosate Pesticide Fact Sheet Prepared for the U.S. Department of
   Agriculture, Forest Service by Information Ventures, Inc.
infoventures.com/e-hlth/pestcide/glyphos.html

Send me  your ideas!
Please send me any suggestions for future topics - be sure to indicate
whether you can actually assist in "investigating" the topic.   Topics
should relate to native medicinals (with some leeway) and should be
thought-provoking and, at the very least, informative!  We have an idea
in
mind for August - otherwise, the calendar is wide open.   Send ideas to
<Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov> <mailto:Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov> .

- - - - -

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural
resources.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>

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Disclaimer

Any advice given on this list regarding diagnosis or treatments etc.
reflects ONLY the opinion of the individual who posts the message. The
information contained in posts is not intended nor implied to be a
substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific
medical condition or question. All medical and other healthcare
information that is discussed on this list should be carefully reviewed
by the individual reader and their qualified healthcare professional.
Posts do not reflect any official opinions or positions of the Plant
Conservation Alliance.

-- 
Michael McGuffin, President
American Herbal Products Association
8484 Georgia Avenue, Suite 370
Silver Spring, MD  20910

Telephone 301-588-1171 x 201
Fax 301-588-1174
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