controlling reed canary grass in the ross lake national ...todd neel & mignonne bivin national...

Todd Neel & Mignonne Bivin

National Park Service

Controlling Reed Canary Grass in the

Ross Lake National Recreation Area:

Adapting to Improve; A Ten Year Retrospective

Executive Order On Invasive Species (February 1999)

“Prevent the introduction of invasive

species and provide for their control

and minimize the economic, ecological,

and human health impacts that invasive

species cause.”

Reed Canary Grass Basics

• Phalaris arundinacea

• Rhizomatous perennial

• Seed production and germination

variable

• Forms dense monocultures, and may

bind soils into hummock-like

formations

• Facultative aquatic

May 2004

Inventory - Baseline

• Three 100m transects

• Twenty-five randomly placed 1m2

sampling plots per transect

• Reed canarygrass represents up to

85% of cover in transects

Control

• 3.5 pt/A aquatic glyphosate or 3 pt /

A aquatic imazapyr applied Spring

• Timed to coincide with reservoir

levels in seasonal wetlands; plant

phenology; and carbohydrate

reserves.

May 2004

May 2006

June 2008

Restoration

Are We There Yet?

May 2004

2014 pic

May 2014

Sedges pic

Where Do We Go From Here?

Lessons Learned

• Survey, Survey, Survey

• Two - Three years to maintenance control (90+% reduction)

• Timing , rate, herbicide and surfactant all important (modified over time)

• Timing of restoration efforts vs control efforts

2014 pic

Sedges pic