Eradicate Invasive Non-Native Plants

 

Non-native, invasive plants form monocultures, or huge areas of only one plant species, producing only that one type of seed or berry and only at one time of the year. On the other hand, when you have a multitude of types of native vegetation, there is a plethora of berry and seed types available over a longer period of time. In a monoculture, leaves and other parts of the plant are only available for decomposition at a particular time of year as opposed to a variety of plants losing their leaves at different rates and times through the seasons. The latter situation provides soil matter and other important attributes for the stream over a longer period of time, which in turn helps the stream habitat by providing a healthier food source for insects.

 

Monocultures do not allow seedlings from other plants to sprout, effectively stopping the spread of native vegetation. Furthermore, the local wildlife is accustomed to eating native vegetation.

 

PCRS has a Wetland Development Permit that enables us to perform restoration work in the wetland areas of the lower Gulch. Some of the most important terrestrial restoration work we do includes invasive, non-native plant eradication. In the past, we have focused on the Himalayan and evergreen blackberry, English Ivy, morning glory, English holly, English laurel, Japanese knotweed, and reed canary grass. PCRS has also undertaken the eradication of ivy from the trees and throughout the Gulch.

 

In 2006, PCRS has continued to eradicate invasive plants. Some of the techniques we use include injecting Japanese knotweed, holly, and laurel with herbicides, pulling blackberry and digging up its roots, cutting ivy from the trees, pulling ivy and morning glory, and digging out reed canary grass.

 

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