invasive plants what are they and how can we pull together to win the war on weeds!
TRANSCRIPT
INVASIVE PLANTS
What are they and how can we pull together to win the war on weeds!
Invasive Plants v.s. Noxious Weeds• Introduced from
another place minus its competition, and becomes aggressive.
• EO 13112 gives it legal standing on
Federal-aid projects.
• Harmful to agriculture, human health, and/or environment.
• Most States have noxious weed law giving them legal standing.
• 11 DO NOT• Some invasives are
already on State lists.
MY TOP TEN ROADSIDE INVASIVES:some are on State lists• Purple loosestrife• Phragmites• Leafy spurge• Knapweeds• Thistles, Canadian, Musk, Scotch• Star thistle• Kudzu• Russian Olive• Black locust• Ailanthus
WHERE DO THEY COME FROM:
• PURPOSEFUL introductions –• Ornamental, esthetics and hardiness• Erosion control problem solvers • Pasture grasses with forage values• ACCIDENTAL introductions –• Seed in imported crop Seeds• In ballast of ships• Animal vectors….birds and other wildlife• Vehicles, travelers, souvenirs,
construction
WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREVENT THEM?
• Disturb as little as possible• Specify weed-free mulches, sods…• Import NO soils into a project• Steam clean gravel at pits• Wash down equipment before moving• Clean off mowers between sites• Train crews to identify weeds early• Control before populations spread• Control before construction begins• Partner with adjacent landowners
AND DO NOT PLANT THEM, please!!!
• Find alternatives for erosion control• Eliminate shrubs and trees known to
become problems*• Honor adjacent State noxious weed
list• PLANT NATIVE PLANTS as possible• Train personnel to not use in design, revegetation, mitigation plantings* Educate public at the same time.
INVASIVE PLANTS, weeds of the global garden
Randall, John and Janet Marinelli, 1996
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, NY$9.95 or less on volume order…….(What not to plant and why not!!!)
READ
Common Roadside Invasives, a roadside field guide to showy herbaceous weeds in the U.S.
• Put a copy of this laminated field guide in the glove compartment of every person who works with roadside vegetation management.
• Not all of these grasses or forbs are in
your State at this time. However, invasive plants adapt and move.
• Be the first in your State to spot and eradicate a new weed invader!!!
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:• Greener Roadsides, an FHWA quarterly Contact Bonnie to add to mailing list.• Land and Water Magazine, Ft. Dodge, IA• Ecological Restoration Journal, U of Wis.• North American Weed Management
Association (www.nawma.org)• National Roadside Vegetation Management
Association (www.nrvma.org)• Federal Interagency Committee for the
Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds (ficmnew.fws.gov or
www.invasivespecies.gov)* Roadside Vegetation website:
www.fhwa.dot.gov/roadsides
FHWA’s very own WEBSITE:
•www.fhwa.dot.gov/roadsides• Ecological approach to roadsides• Chapters of Roadside Use of Native Plants• Invasive plant BMPs and more• Previous Greener Roadside Newsletters• List of State and Division contacts• Improved calendar of upcoming events……• Related websites
www.fhwa.dot.gov/roadsides