Katie Grzesiak
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Posts posted by Katie Grzesiak
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A similar situation with ISN; Manistee CD has a grant to deal with it. Presently, my understanding is that a suspicion of oak wilt needs to be confirmed by a forester. Then, depending on where you are, there's a possibility of cost-share for treatment.
At the very least, MISIN is a good way to start. I know both of "my" foresters are subscribed to get MISIN updates on forest pests, and other CISMA coordinators can also pass them to their District Foresters.
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Good question, Derek. We run into a mix in our 4 counties, though most of the non-planted specimens end up fruiting like invasives; glad to hear you're seeing some natives!
As for hybrids, I found this interesting presentation on the topic:
https://www.nps.gov/indu/upload/Zaya_InvasiveSpecies-BittersweetReproduction.pdf
It doesn't cover physical ID; all the studies I've seen have been focused on genetic markers, so that's not much help to us in the field, but it's a good starting place; maybe contacting an author would yield more info? -
WOW! Thanks for sharing, Eric!
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I had a question in my inbox about tracking expenses/match from partners, so I thought I'd share what I have. Others should absolutely do the same--better options are probably out there!
I've attached 3 documents to this post:
- A "cover sheet" for match reporting (could easily be adapted for expense reporting too) where the partner totals up their applicable in-kind (and would then of course attach any other necessary documents like receipts).
- A "match tracking" excel sheet that I use for soliciting match (hence the columns about whether they've been contacted) and keeping track of what has been reported to me; I keep notes about what is promised, what is received, and how the match is progressing.
- A "budgeting" excel sheet. I'm lucky enough to have a Finance Coordinator at GTCD who handles the QuickBooks and official stuff, but I keep track of ISN's grant spending separately (and then we compare each month) to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. It's a bit more detailed than the DNR sheet, which I like.
I put a few fake entries in each sheet so folks could see how the sheets work. Using them should be just a matter of replacing the dummy stuff I put in there with items and amounts applicable to your work! Formulae can be dragged down as needed to keep track of remaining balances, for example. Feel free to shoot me questions.
I prefer to keep track of Match & Spending separately, but I'm sure some folks don't; does anyone have an integrated sheet to share? Other ways that work for people?
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First, a bit of background:
In the fall of 2012, the Brown Bridge Dam on the Boardman River near Traverse City, MI was removed. Much of the restored riverbed and the newly exposed bottomlands has excellent historic seed banks, and many native plants are returning. However, the area where the river entered the former Brown Bridge Pond had an immense amount of sediment deposited, which contained many non-native and invasive species seeds and plant fragments. Species that would normally be lower-priority are in this area elevated priorities for managers (Grand Traverse Conservation District) because of the secondary succession occurring onsite and the chance to stop the infestations before they get out of hand. Phragmites, narrow-leaved cattail, and reed canary grass are 3 of the main targets.
Now for the success part!
Invasive Phragmites and cattails were only present in small amounts, and have been carefully monitored and controlled with hand-swiping herbicide techniques. However, reed canary grass really took off. There is a 10 acre stretch within this heavily infested area where ~60 gallons of solution was applied to reed canary grass in just 4 or 5 hours in 2014.
In 2016, the ISN Crew was able to join up with GTCD staff to treat the same area with less than 6 gallons.
In the bigger picture, what formerly took two weeks to treat was treated this year in just two days.
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ISN has been having an internal conversation about backpack sprayers, so I thought I'd share it here. One partner expressed continuing issues with Solo sprayers, culminating in 2 brand-new sprayers arriving in non-working order, and asked about other options. Here is what partners have shared as other options in no particular order (both are more expensive than Solo, somewhere around $120-150):
- Stihl backpack sprayers, which don't have the leaking problems and have broken less frequently; some models have plastic components that may break with time
- Jacto backpack sprayers were recently recommended as very reliable with mostly metal parts
Of course, this isn't an endorsement of any products, just sharing experiences.
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Prohibited Plant Species (Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (Act 451 of 1994, as amended):
Prohibited species identified under this Act cannot be sold or grown in the state. Any of the following plants, fragments, seeds or a hybrid or genetically engineered variant thereof are specifically prohibited.
(and then Japanese knotweed is listed)
From the DNR factsheet:
Japanese knotweed is legally prohibited in Michigan. It is illegal to possess or introduce this species without a permit from the Michigan Department of Agriculture, and Rural Development except to have it identified or in conjunction with control efforts.I'd say there isn't a lot of room for interpretation, and the cultivar is illegal. This is also important in no small part because the flowers still have the ability to cross with giant knotweed, creating the even-more-aggressive hybrid, Bohemian knotweed. -
I've no experience with this plant (apart from seeing it in Wyoming last week!), but here's what some Googling got me:
- There's very little information on Mahonia aquifolium (aka Berberis aquifolium) being invasive here, as it's native to western North America. It does appear to be invasive in Germany, so you may look to Europe for more control methods if it does seem to be invading in Michigan.
- A scientific article. It would appear its fruits are a major component of its spread, but they most commonly fall directly below the parent.
- A brief from the NPS on its cousin, leatherleaf mahonia, which is from Japan. It appears that cut-stump treatments are best for Mahonia bealei.
Good luck!
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We're lucky enough not to have any (YET) up here. Maybe try the Huron-Arbor Cluster and report back? I saw flowering rush on the Huron River when I visited, but it seemed like it was being controlled.
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Hi Brittany,
In the northwest lower Michigan region (and throughout the state, when I travel), I see Japanese barberry of both the "wild type" (green leaf) and the red-leaf cultivars in natural areas. The red cultivars often produce seeds that grow green shrubs, but they're capable of producing red (or even variegated!) offspring as well, depending on what they cross with.
As Vicki said, barberry is still a commonly planted ornamental; it could be sourcing (through bird's digestive tracts) from nearly any nearby neighborhood or development. I've even seen it "travel" as far as a few miles. You might be able to reach out to nearby land owners to ask them about replacing barberry with a native shrub in their landscapes? In northwest lower Michigan, we also have a program called Go Beyond Beauty for garden professionals. I believe there are some folks in your area considering starting up a similar program. Get in contact with your CISMA if you're not already; we'd be happy to pass our experience along!
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A quick Google (and Google Scholar) search didn't bring up much of anything (apart from the fact that the plant isn't native to the US, and can naturalize, or at least survive without cultivation).
My personal experience is that lilac isn't native, but doesn't appear to be escaping either. The times I've seen it in the wild it has been clearly planted at historic/previous homestead sites, and just grown larger in place (not moved).
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"Late spring" and "late summer" have much more to do with phenology than actual dates. We consider late spring to be when the knotweed is 3-4 ft high, and late summer as at least 60 days before frost.
Here in northwest lower Michigan, that translates to mid-June and mid-August. Saginaw Bay area may be different.
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Sorry Kip, we don't have any up here; all the internet searching I've done comes up with really similar results. I remember attending a site visit in the Saginaw area to see some flowering rush in 2013, but as an emerging invasive, we were mostly just interested in ID.
Have you tried contacting the Montana State University? Publications saying they were working on herbicide recommendations date back as far as 2011; hopefully they'll have something soon. -
Unfortunately, the die-off percentage varies greatly by site (likely due to age etc.). I would hazard an estimate of approximately 50% die-off in the first year with Milestone, and perhaps 30% for Clearcast. Since it's a multi-year project no matter what, we've been looking more at the long-term effects, where Milestone comes out ahead.
Truly dead plant material can be removed from the site as soon as it is bone-dry and therefore incapable of regenerating elsewhere. We advise our landowners to wait until late fall or even winter/spring to take the guesswork out of it, but if they want to monitor the stems to see when they're properly desiccated.
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Also, please note that this is NOT a substitute for reading pesticide labels! Make sure you're in compliance with laws and policies (and have landowner permission) before doing any control practices.
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Here's a quick overview of the treatments ISN has found most successful for controlling knotweeds:
Milestone (aminopyralid)
- Faster kill (~3 years), more off-target effects
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Standard rate (3-7 oz/acre; 0.01%)
- Using nonionic surfactant (standard rate)
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Late spring (3-4 ft high) or late summer (at least 60 days before frost)
- When treating in late summer, it is helpful to do a cut of the plants a month or so in advance ONLY IF safe disposal of the stems is possible
- At some sites, repeat treatments (spring & summer) may be appropriate, so long as maximum application rates are not reached
- Not aquatic approved
- Note: Tree sensitivity issues--some trees will die if their roots mingle with knotweed that is treated with Milestone.
Clearcast (imazamox)
- Acceptable kill (~5 years), fewer off-target effects
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Cocktail:
- 5% Clearcast
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1-2% Methylated Seed Oil (MSO)
- Not all MSOs are aquatic-approved!! Check before applying to knotweed in areas with standing water
- 1-2% glyphosate (aquatic-approved formulation)
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Best sprayed in late summer/early fall
- Spraying at least 60 days before the first frost is CRUCIAL--this date will vary by location (for northwest lower MI, it's early August)
- Aquatic approved (if adjuvants are aquatic-approved)
We have applied both of these treatments as either foliar spray or as a "cut stem" application (cutting down stems and filling the stem cavity with herbicide solution), which is a great way to avoid drift and overspray, but is more time-intensive and contains the risk of stem disposal.
Questions? Comments? Leave a note!
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ISN's 2016 Job Opportunities are in! This is a cross-post from the General Discussion board.
We'll be hiring 8 people in a variety of positions, and we need you to help us spread the word! You can find all this information on our website.
Full-time: Habitat Management Specialist, who will coordinate some major control efforts as well as keeping their boots dirty (of course they'll be cleaned between sites!) with treatment.
Part-time: Outreach Assistant, who will assist local municipalities with invasive species issues and help with ISN's outreach in general.
Seasonal: Survey Technicians (2), who will work together to survey throughout the four-county region for invasive plants.
Seasonal: Crew Leader, who will lead a crew of three others and coordinate with partners to control invasive species throughout the four-county region.
Seasonal: Crew Members (3), who will work together to control invasive species throughout the four-county region.
Deadline for the seasonal positions is March 1. Deadline for the full-time and part-time positions is March 8.
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Just a quick introduction to the Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network (ISN) for anyone looking for information--feel free to post questions! You can also contact me directly at kgrzesiak@gtcd.org or our Outreach Specialist, Emily Cook, at ecook@gtcd.org.
- First, check out our website: HabitatMatters.org. It's full of great introductory information, including partners, priority species, and the articles from our eNewsletter.
- If you want to get involved, sign up for our eNews! This comes out monthly with ways to get involved with ISN and our many partners.
- If you want to get into the nitty-gritty bits of ISN, send me an email about joining our GoogleGroup.
- If you're looking to get some resources from ISN, check out our list of resources. We'll work to keep it updated!
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It's true, I'm chugging away at a draft from the notes from our sessions at the MISC Annual Meeting right now, but I'm always looking for more questions and information to populate it.
Current topics include:
- CISMAs intro (& MI vs. the west)
- Overall Structure (Chair, Coordinator, Steering Committee, Sub-Committees)
- Partners (attracting, communication)
- Funding
- Outreach (how to talk about CISMAs, where to get info)
- Crews & Strike Teams
- Pesticide use info (certifications, PABLs, etc.)
I also have a lovely list of other materials folks would like to see in the Knowledge Base that I'll work to populate.
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17 minutes ago, Amos said:
Well, this looks like a great site
Sure does! Already brainstorming what to populate it with!
Last Treatment Timing
in Best Management Practices (BMP) and Treatment
Posted
This isn't very helpful, but it depends if it's a light frost or a killing frost. Some frosts will kill Phragmites, and some are light enough that they don't. However, frost of any kind is generally a good rule of thumb to stop sprays for the season in an area.