your responsibilities o have an approved restoration …...giant cane and bamboo • hand dig small...

Johnsongrass

GuidetoSelf-LedJohnsongrass,Bamboo&GiantCaneManagementWorkday

Yourresponsibilitieso Haveanapprovedrestorationplano Submitformtoparksvolunteer@austintexas.gov30dayspriortoevento Establish,inagreementwithParkManager,locationfortheremovedplantmaterialo Estimatevolunteerneeds(2unitsminimumsuggestedin2-hourshifts;1unit=2hourswith15volunteers)o Recruitvolunteers.KeepAustinBeautifulandAustinParksFoundationcanprovidesupportwiththis

process.o Coordinateinformation/trainingtaskso Givesafetyorientationo Provideworkgloves,handpruners,bags.KeepAustinBeautifulandAustinParksFoundationcanprovide

supportwiththisprocess.o CleanupandorganizeremovedplantmaterialVolunteerprofile,agerange:Activityappropriatefor10+yearsoldforjohnsongrassand15+yearsoldforgiantcaneandbamboo(volunteersunder18yearsrequireadultsupervision).Volunteersmusthavereceivedtrainingonidentifyingjohnsongrass,giantcane,and/orbamboo(trainingonsiteisOK).Volunteersmustdemonstratehavingabilitytosafelyhandle/usehandpruners(trainingonsiteisOK)Clothesandsafety:Closed-toeshoes,adequatedrinkingwater,sunprotection,poisonivyprotectionTools/Supplies:poisonivyblock,poisonivywash,gloves,pruners,loppers,lawnbags,invasiveplantIDguidesBackgroundJohnsongrass(Sorghumhalepense),goldenbamboo(Phyllostachysaurea),andgiantcane(Arundodonax)areinvasivegrassesthatcrowdoutnativeplants,particularlyinriparianareas.Ecologicalrestorationisalong-termprocess.Controlofexoticinvasivespeciesisonlyapartofthisprocessandmustbedonegradually,particularlyinareaswithhighdensitiesonexoticinvasiveplants.Areaswhereinvasivespeciesaremanagedneedtobeseededwithnativegrassesandwildflowers.Treeseedlingplantingand/orseedbankenrichmentarecrucialtorestorethenativeplantcommunity,especiallyinareaswithverylittlegrowthofnativevegetation.Johnsongrassiseasilyidentifiedbyitswideleafbladewithwhitestripedownthecenter.Itishardtocontrolinopengrasslandsduetoitslongtermseedviabilityandextensiverootsystem.However,becauseitisa

speciesthatdoesnottolerateshade,oncetreesandshrubsoutgrowit,itwillnotbeadominantspeciesin

GiantCane

Bamboo

areaswithfullcanopy.Constantremovalofjohnsongrasshelpsreduceitscompetitiveabilityagainstnativetreesaplingswhiletheyaregrowing.Removalrequiresmanuallypullingasmuchoftherootsystemaspossiblewithcontinuedfollow-up.Seedheadsneedtoberemovedtodecreasefurtherspread.Mid-springisthebesttimetostartremovingjohnsongrass,beforeitproducesseeds.Continueremovingmonthlyduringthegrowingseason.Thiswillforcetheplantstoexhausttheirreserveseverytimeittriestogrow.Theabove-groundportionoftheplantsoftendiesbackinwinterduetofreezes,makinglocating/identifyingplantsdifficultatthistimeofyear.Goldenbamboohasfan-likeclusterleavesandjointedstems.Giantcane,“Arundo”,isidentifiedbyalternatepointedleaveswithbasesthatenvelopethestem.Bothspecieshaveextensiveundergroundrootstructures

thatsproutwhentheabovegroundpartsareremoved.Largeareasinfestedwithbambooandgiantcanearedifficulttocontrol.Smallpatches(100sqftorless)ofbambooandgiantcanecanbesuccessfullymanagedwithrepeatedmanualremovals,especiallyifrootssystemsareremoved(onlyongentleslopesandflatareas).Ifyoursitehasanarealargerthan100squareft,acoordinatedeffortthatincludesveryspecificandtargetedchemicaltreatmentwilllikelybeneeded.ContactJohnClementatjohn.clement@austintexas.govforinformationontherequirements.Dayofevent,removingjohnsongrass,giantcaneand/orbambooNote:Positivelyidentifyinvasiveplantsbeforeremoving.Refertowww.austintexas.gov/invasiveJohnsongrass• Handdigtheplants,includingasmuchoftherootsaspossibleinareaswithgentleslopes(lessthan3:1).• IfseedshaveNOTformed,removedplantscanbelaidonthegroundasmulch.Ifseedsarealready

formed,evenifgreen,bagseedheadstominimizereseeding.GiantCaneandBamboo• Handdigsmallplantsinareaswithgentleslope(lessthan3:1)andcutlargeplantstothebaseoftheplant.

Plantsmustbecutasclosetothegroundaspossible,withahorizontalcut.Diagonalcutscreateahazardforparkusers.

• Cuttingtheseplantsoncewillhavelittleimpactontheinfestation,soplanformonthlyfollowupworkdays(oreveryotherweekifpossible)toremoveregrowth.

• Giantcanecuttingscannotbeleftonsite;theycanreadilygrowrootsandre-establish.Allcuttingsneedtobepiledupinanorderlyfashion,readyforpick-up.Pilesmustbenottallerthan3’andmustbeplacedatleast5’apartfromeachother.ThislocationmustbeagreeduponthroughcommunicationwithPARDmanagerpriortotheeventday.

Workdayfollowupshouldincludereplantingand/orseeding(refertoSelf-ledGuidetoSeeding).ProvidedbyParksandRecreationDepartmentRetrievalofbambooand/orgiantcanecuttingsand/orbagswithjohnsongrass.LocationforstagingplantmaterialMUSTbeagreeduponwithParkmanagerPRIORtoeventday.ProvidedbyWatershedProtectionDepartmentSupportandguidancethroughdevelopmentofarestorationplan.Assistwithinitialsitevisittohelpdetermineareaextent,scope,andpotentialfollow-upsoftheproject.