u.s. fish & wildlife service u.s. fish & wildlife service local wetland and roadside...
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Local Wetland and Roadside InvadersWho they are and How You Can Help
Japanese Knotweed Pepperweed Phragmites Purple Loosestrife Polygonum cuspidatum Lepidium latifolium Phragmites australis Lythrum salicaria
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
The Invasive Species Threat• In their native environment species are
kept in check by natural controls, like predators and food supply. They are part of a balanced system.
• When a species is introduced into a new landscape, and it is able to survive and establish itself, the consequences for the environment can be devastating.
Japanese knotweed
Oriental bittersweet
Perennial pepperweed
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Japanese knotweed
Oriental bittersweet
Perennial pepperweed
What is an Invasive Plant?What is an Invasive Plant?
• “Non-indigenous (non-native) species or strain that become established in natural plant communities and wild areas, replacing native vegetation.”
• “An alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.”
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What makes a plant Invasive?What makes a plant Invasive?• Adaptable to wide variety of growing conditions• Highly productive (by seeds or vegetative growth)
– Purple loosestrife can produce 6 million seeds per plant– Phragmites rhizomes can grow over 30 feet a year;
monocultures of 7,000 acres• Competitive advantage
– Grow rapidly, compete for sun– Some emit chemicals that make it hard for other plants to
grow. (Chemical allelopathy )– No natural enemies
Be Aware of Low-Maintenance Garden Plants!Be Aware of Low-Maintenance Garden Plants!
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
What’s so bad about invasives?What’s so bad about invasives?• Out-compete and replace native plants • Decrease biological diversity of native ecosystems• Decrease the quality of fish and wildlife habitat • Reduce threatened and endangered species habitat • Reduce water quality and availability for native fish and wildlife species; • Cause soil erosion; clog lakes and waterways and other wetlands• Very difficult to control
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Strategies for Combating InvasivesStrategies for Combating Invasives•Invasives will take over if we “Do Nothing”• Pick our battles
• Pick successful methods• Tackle the worse invaders• Take on the newest invaders
• Work with partners• Continue to monitor (3 to 10 years)• Share success and failure
* Balance need for control with impacts of control*
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
How You Can Help Control InvasivesHow You Can Help Control Invasives• Learn to identify the worse or newest invaders in your area.• Keep invasive plants out of your yard (or under constant control)• Don’t buy invasive plants from garden centers• Educate your town and your neighbors about landscaping with natives• Volunteer for community invasive control projects such as mapping and pulling.• Report new invasives to local conservation organization
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
““Invasive species have become the greatest Invasive species have become the greatest environmental challenge of the 21st century in environmental challenge of the 21st century in terms of economic, environmental, and human terms of economic, environmental, and human health costs, with an estimated impact in the health costs, with an estimated impact in the U.S. of over $138 billion per year.” U.S. of over $138 billion per year.”
--USGS Invasive --USGS Invasive Species ProgramSpecies Program
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
We are most concerned about these wetland and roadside invaders
Japanese Knotweed Pepperweed Phragmites Purple Loosestrife Polygonum cuspidatum Lepidium latifolium Phragmites australis Lythrum salicaria
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
What You Can Do: All Species • Scout your town and document where
current infestations are occurring. With many of these plants this can be done year round.
• Map sites on-line. www.Citsci.org Project: MA-NH-ME Wetland Worries &
Roadside Invasives”• Share your maps, and the BMPs for your
species with local property owners and concerned citizens in your town such as the Conservation Commission and DPW.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Spring: Help Pull Perennial Pepperweed
In June and early July students and citizens help pull pepperweed. Do this with Mass Audubon or PRNWR to make sure you dispose of pepperweed properly. It is important to prevent further spread by pulling
before the plants go to seed.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Mass Audubon’s Salt Marsh Science Project Started in 1996 Primary Focus: Investigating the invasive reed Phragmites.
Fall: Help Monitor Phragmites australis
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Classroom teachers & Mass Audubon staff lead student field studies with students grades 5-College.
• Collecting real data• Participating in a wider scientific study• Investigating sites in their own towns and
watersheds• Monitoring sites before and after
restoration
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service10 of our sites have been restored since 1997.
Students help us know if restoration is successful by monitoring before and after restoration.
To learn more about this project Contact Liz Duff at [email protected] Website: http://www.massaudubon.org/saltmarsh/Curriculum: http://www.massaudubon.org/saltmarsh/resources.php
Tidal Restoration reduces Phragmites
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Spring: Map and/or Rear Beetles to control Purple Loosestrife
Lessoning Loosestrife
Purple loosestrife is easy to identify when in blossom.
Eastern Point Gloucester
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A unique solution—biological control!
• Specific to target and self-perpetuating
• Long-term control of purple loosestrife (but not eradication)
• Requires lower inputs (but possibly longer to realize effects)
Ultimate goal: Restore wetland habitat and function; give native species a
competitive chance.
Biological control (biocontrol) defined~
The use of natural enemies to reduce the damage caused
by a pest population, such as an invasive
plant.
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Meet the Beetles Galerucella species
Eggs Larva
Adults
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Mapping Initiative
Reportobservations
via Google Maps
You can add your observations to the map on line!
Beetles have dispersed as far as 10 miles from release sites.
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/der/freshwater/loosestrife/observation_and_reporting.pdf
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Schools Help with Beetle Rearing May-July
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Release plot Photo reference
point
Fall and Spring Monitoring Standard methodology used across the U.S. Monitoring plots are 1x1 m quadrats, marked
with wood stakes or PVC pipe. Monitor twice each year for at least three
years. Document changes at site (and of each plot)
with photos
10m
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
http://www.massaudubon.org/Lessoning_Loosestrife/
Lesson Plans Available On-line
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Season: Fall Winter Spring SummerInvasive
Plant August Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July
Phragmites Field training
for teachers
Salt Marsh Science Data Collection of
vegetation, and salinity. Great Marsh Coastal Science Conference
the Friday before Thanksgiving week.
Data Entry, Editing, and
Analysis
Data updated on web-
siteSalinity data collection
(optional)
Purple Loosestrife
August-September: Fall
Monitoring, Mapping Beetles
May- Adult beetles emerge, Beetle
Collection, beetle rearing begins. Field
training for teachers
June- Spring
Monitoring
Release Beetles late June, early
July
Mapping Beetles
Perennial Pepperweed
Boat Mapping, Recheck
pulled sites
Mapping on Foot, Pulling Pepperweed
Japanese Knotweed Mapping Mapping & Outreach Mapping & Outreach
U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Many Thanks To Funding From•National Fish and Wildlife Foundation•National Science Foundation•Community Service Learning Grants•Local Foundations•Massachusetts Environmental Trust•New England Biolabs•General Electric•Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program USFWS•Coastal Americas Foundation•Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership•EPA 5-star Restoration Program & grant team•Site coordinators and volunteersImage and slide use•Donna Ellis – CT Beetle Farmer Program•MSU Purple Loosestrife Project
Partnerships: •8 Towns & the Bay Committee•Gulf of Maine Institute•NBPT GOMI Team•Great Marsh Habitat Restoration Team•Plum Island Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research (PIE-LTER)•Parker River National Wildlife Refuge•Salem Sound Coastwatch
Special Thanks In Memory of Great Marsh Stewards• Ruth Alexander• Stubby Knowles• Deb Melvin