Nonnative Invasive Plants and Fire Management

1
Non-native Invasive Plants and Fire Management
2
What is a non-native (exotic), invasive plant?

• Non-native Yall aint from round here.
• Organisms not originally from this area, these
  often were introduced intentionally or
  accidentally by human activity.
• (Eg. YANKEES)
• Invasive An organism which becomes established
  in a forest or natural area, and is expanding on
  its own, often altering native plant communities,
  out-competing native species, or otherwise
  affecting natural ecosystems.
• ( Eg. D___ YANKEES )

3
Why is this issue important?

• Plant invasions can impact natural ecosystems and
  processes, land management costs, recreational
  access, biodiversity, etc.
• 46 of the listed TE species in the
  US are imperiled in part due to
  impacts of invasive species.
• 3-5 Trillion lost annually due to invasive
  species (not just plants) globally.
• Since 1980 approximately 240 million has been
  spent on invasive plant mgt. in FL over more than
  2 million acres.

4
Noxious WeedsThe Greatest Single Threat to
Natural Ecosystems in the West!
Diffuse Knapweed Dominated Flood Plain
5
Why you should care about weed spread.

• Economics
• BLM spends 2.7 million annually to control
  weeds.
• Weeds reduce property values.
• Agriculture
• 1984 U.S. lost 7.4 billion in crop yield.
• Reduces forage for grazing livestock.

6
Why you should care about weed spread.

• Environment - crowd out native plants.
• Cheatgrass displaced native grasses throughout
  the West.
• Dyers Woad and Yellow Star Thistle have ousted
  natives throughout UT and CA.
• Decreases soil stability and affects water
  quality and quantity when fibrous roots of
  natives are replaced by tap-rooted weeds.

7
How do these plants get to our forests?

• Dispersal by humans
• Contaminated equipment
• Contaminated people
• Contaminated soil
• Planting in landscapes
• Dumping of landscape materials and yard waste
• Dispersal by wildlife (esp. deer birds),
  cattle, water, wind, etc.
• Seed rain or root sprouting from adjacent
  properties

8
Where are we likely to find these plants?

• Forest boundaries
• Common dumping sites
• Old home sites
• Roadways
• Disturbance areas (Timber sales, mining sites
  etc.)
• Firelines

WHY? Because these are the areas of greatest
human access and movement
9
Impacts you may have on invasive plants

• Promotion or damage of invasive plants by fire.
• Movement of invasive plants (roots, seed, spores,
  etc.) by equipment or persons.
• Public education about invasive plants.

10

• Cogon grass
• Offset midrib
• Serrated edges
• No branching of blades
• Long, hard scaly white root
• Fuzzy white seedhead
• Promoted by fire and disturbance.
• Spread through movement of contaminated soil
• Causes high intensity fire that may kill
  overstory trees.

11
Melaleuca

• Evergreen tree
• Soft, light colored bark
• Bottlebrush flowers
• Grows in dense thickets
• Promoted by fire and disturbance
• Causes high intensity, torching fires.
• Never burn before herbicide treatment.

12
Brazilian pepper

• Evergreen, large shrub to tree.
• Compound leaves with distinct yellow veins
• Showy red berries in clusters often at branch
  ends
• Related to Poison ivy
• Fire may kill saplings but not older trees.
• May make access and movement to wildfire
  difficult and dangerous

13
The climbing ferns Old World and Japanese

• Twining, climbing vines
• Fertile and infertile leaflets
• Grows into tree canopies and along ground
• Reproduce with spores
• When burned, may cause long-distance spotting
  and spore dispersal and torching of crowns.
• May be spread by contaminated equipment and
  persons

Old World climbing fern
Japanese climbing fern
14
The climbing ferns
Old World climbing fern Tampa and further
south
Japanese climbing fern Primarily north Florida
15
Tropical soda apple

• Lobed leaves
• Leaves and stems hairy
• Watermelon fruit, becoming yellow when ripe
• Spines on top and bottom of leaves, and stems
• Can be burned before fruit production

16
Privet species

• Densely tangled brushy growth form
• Opposite leaves
• Bark gray to brown, slightly rough
• White flowers in spring
• Purple berries in fall
• Promoted by disturbance, can be managed with fire

17
Musk Thistle Carduus nutans

• Weeds impact recreation.

18
Yellow Star Thistle Invades Campground!
19
Knapweed spreads along roads.
20
Weeds reduce crop production and forage.
Dalmation Toadflax Field
21
Noxious Weeds Alter Ecosystem Processes

• Sagebrush-Cheatgrass converting to
• Squarerose Knapweed

22
Noxious Weeds Increase Soil Erosion
Annual weeds lack deep roots to stabilize soils.
23
Noxious Weeds Cause the Loss of Wildlife Habitat
24
What can you do?

• Learn the common invasive plants in your area
• Include consideration of invasive plants in fire
  planning
• Make landowners/managers aware of invasive
  plants on their property
• Clean off equipment after exposure to easily
  spread invasive plants

25
Clean Your Vehicle!
Weed seeds can attach to vehicles and fall off
further down the road.
26
Yellow Star Thistle
27
Check and Clean Your Gear

• Weed seeds that cling to gear can be
• spread to the next site.