Mechanical Removal TAME Melaleuca

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Mechanical RemovalTAME Melaleuca

• François B. Laroche
• South Florida Water Management District

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Melaleuca Control

• Mechanical removal not used for melaleuca removal
  in natural areas.
• Land clearing for development, along canals,
  roadside, utilities ROW.
• Cell 17/18, comparison of herbicide and
  mechanical methods
• TAME demonstration project
• Melaleuca control in natural areas traditionally
  done with herbicide treatment methods.

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Tracked Feller Buncher Cutting Trees (Cell
17/18 - 2002)

• Holiday Park and Prairie Pines demonstration
  sites
• Cutting head mounted on front of vehicle.

• Cell 17/18
• Cutting head mounted on hydraulic arm
• Better maneuverability

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Tracked Feller Buncher Spraying Stumps (Cell
17/18 - 2002)

• Gyro Track for smaller trees and saplings

Spraying
Treated Stump

• Cutting head mounted with herbicide sprayer

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CELL 17/18

• Frill /Girdle/Cut/stump herbicide treatment, 3
  years later
• 95 mortality
• Follow-up retreatment for seedlings
• Stumps and trunks remain

• Feller Buncher/Gyrotrack/ Skider/Chipper, 3 years
  later
• 90 95 mortality.
• Follow-up retreatment for seedlings

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Clear-More Tree Chipper Stumper Knocking Down
Trees (Cell 17/18)

• High selectivity and maneuverability, little
  non-target damage and no melaleuca left standing
• Separate motor for chipping head

• Grinds stumps into the ground
• 99 mortality
• 0 seedling recruitment
• Slow when trees are dense

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Clear-More Tree Chipper After Treatment (Cell
17/18)
Natives

• 3 years later

Ground Rutting
Ground Rutting

• Days after

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Cell 17/18

• Aerial herbicide treatment, 3 years later

• 99 mortality
• 0 seedling recruitment
• Follow-up treatment needed
• Dead trees remain standing (10 year for decay)

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Melaleuca Control Cost by Various Methods of
Treatment at Cell 17/18
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Tracked Feller Buncher Cutting Trees, (TAME) -
2004

• 90 mortality
• some seedlings, 0.3/m2

Prairie Pines Preserve, Lee Co.
Prairie Pines

• 65 mortality
• some seedlings, 1.3/m2

Holiday Park
Holiday Park, Broward Co.

• Restricted to certain trunk diameter
• Need second pass for small trees
• Somewhat selective
• Treat stumps with herbicide

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Tracked Feller Buncher Cutting Trees, (TAME) -
2006
Prairie Pines
Holiday Park
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Brontosaurus, Holiday Park and Prairie Pines
(TAME) 2004

• High selectivity and maneuverability
• Does not grind stumps

Holiday Park

• Little non-target damage and few melaleuca left
  standing
• Able to take down large trees
• Separate motor for chipping head

Prairie Pines
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Brontosaurus, Holiday Park and Prairie Pines
(TAME) 2005
Holiday Park

• 20-30 mortality
• 0 seedling recruitment

Prairie Pines

• 50 mortality
• some seedlings, 0.7/m2

Holiday Park
Prairie Pines

• Mortality greater (less regrowth) where trees
  were larger or denser and mulch is therefore
  deeper

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Brontosaurus, Holiday Park and Prairie Pines
(TAME) 2006
Prairie Pines
Holiday Park

• Stump regrowth
• Few seedlings

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Barko Chipper, Holiday Park and Prairie Pines
(TAME) 2004
Holiday Park

• Coarse mulch, some stems/trunks missed by chipper
  once down

• Rubber tires
• Low selectivity, cannot maneuver well around
  natives

Prairie Pines
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Barko Chipper, Holiday Park and Prairie Pines
(TAME) 2005

• 40 mortality
• Seedling recruitment 3/m2

Prairie Pines
Holiday Park

• 60 mortality
• Damage to pine
• Seedling recruitment 0.7/m2

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Barko Chipper, Holiday Park and Prairie Pines
(TAME) 2006
Holiday Park
Prairie Pines

• Stump regrowth
• Few seedlings

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Stump Regrowth

• No regrowth with Feller Buncher

• Brontosaurus
• Barko

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Mechanical Removal of Melaleuca at Prairie Pines
(TAME)
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Mechanical Removal of Melaleuca at Holiday Park
(TAME)
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Follow up treatment required

• Seedling recruitment
• Other exotics

• Need herbicide and follow-up treatment
• Restricted (wetland areas)
• Not selective (under story)
• Tracks create rutting
• Costly

• Instant results
• Many types of equipment

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Brown is Beautiful