Invasive Plants Power Point Presentation (view PPT version)
Invasive Plants
What are they and how can we pull together to win the war on weeds!
| Invasive Plants |
vs. |
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
Weeds to Watch
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.
Read
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!!!)
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
