2007 "Volunteers Working With Invasives"
Grants Report Form
Display Report
PROJECT BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Project Title:
Cedar Point Forest Restoration at Eastern Neck NWR
Region:
5
Station:
Eastern Neck NWR
Contact Person:
Name and Phone Number
Rachel Cliche
Project Description:
(Up to 250 words)
Cedar Point, a mixture of marsh and forested habitat along the southern boundary of Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, is heavily invaded with non-native invasive plants. Phragmites has formed monotypic stands in the marsh, and wineberry, mile-a-minute, garlic mustard, Japanese stilt-grass, Japanese honeysuckle, multiflora rose, paulownia, and tree-of-heaven have taken over the forested habitats. Refuge Management would like to reclaim and restore approximately, 6 acres of forested habitat to historic forest cover of loblolly pine/hardwood mix, with documentation and photographs of results. Objectives: To restore approximately 6 acres of forested habitat on Cedar Point to the original forest cover of loblolly pine/hardwood mix and maintain a native plant community. Methods: "Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage (CWH), a private conservation organization dedicated to restoring, protecting, and creating habitat in the Chesapeake Bay, Refuge staff and volunteers will establish permanent transects and inventory the plant community during fall 2006. " Refuge staff will use the Geo-Boy to clear and mulch all vegetation on site after the plant inventory, except for individual desirable trees. " Allow vegetation to sprout and Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage, Refuge staff and volunteers will re-inventory the plant community spring 2007. " Integrated Vegetation Management Partners (IVM), a non-profit dedicated to assisting professionals with integrated vegetation management practices, will work with private contractors to use a Radiarc or ATV to broadcast herbicide treatment to the entire area late summer 2007. Herbicides should include Krenite, Arsenal & Escort but may be adjusted as necessary to remove the targeted exotic plants. " CWH, Refuge staff and volunteers will re-inventory the plant community fall 2007. " Blackwater NWR burn crew will remove dead plant material and destroy exotic weed seeds with a controlled burn winter 2007-08. " CWH, Refuge staff and volunteers will re-inventory plant community spring 2008. " IVM Partners and private contractor will apply herbicide if necessary for site preparation spring 2008. " Refuge staff and volunteers will plant loblolly pine trees spring 2008 after the inventory and site prep. " IVM Partners and private contractor will apply herbicide, if necessary, during the 2008 growing season to prevent exotic plant reinvasion. " CWH, Refuge staff and volunteers will re-inventory the plant community fall 2008. " IVM Partners, CWH and Refuge staff will compile data and write report of results with recommended adjustments. " IVM Partners and private contractor will periodically apply herbicides as necessary to maintain a healthy native plant community.
List of Invasives Species Targeted:
Common Name
Scientific Name
Wineberry
(Rubus phoenicolasius)
Multi-flora Rose
(Rosa multiflora)
Japanese Stilt Grass
(Microstegium vimineum)
Mile-a-minute
(Polygonum perfoliatum)
Garlic Mustard
(Alliaria petiolata)
Tree-of-heaven
(Ailanthus altissima)
Princess Tree
(Paulownia tomentosa)
Japanese Honeysuckle
(Lonicera Japonica)
Project Status:
InProgress
Project Completion Date
or Estimated Completion Date:
(mm/dd/yyyy)
10/31/2008
VOLUNTEER INFORMATION
Volunteer Affiliation:
(Check all that apply)
VA_FriendsGrp VA_Other
Volunteer Involvement:
Describe the type of work the volunteers performed. (Up to 150 words)
Volunteers assisted with photo monitoring points and herbicide treatment of invasive trees.
Total Number of Volunteers:
4
Total Number of Volunteer Hours:
8
Partnerships:
List both new and existing partnerships utilized in this project. (Up to 150 words).
Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage,a private conservation organization dedicated to restoring, protecting, and creating habitat in the Chesapeake Bay, established monitoring plots and collected data. Integrated Vegetation Management, Partners Inc.(IVM) provided advice, contacts and oversaw contracters applying herbicides to the site. A invasive species workshop was held in October 2007 hosted by IVM Partners that provided attendees with a breif overview of integrated vegetation management and a tour of managed Refuge sites (including Cedar Point Restoration). Attendees included MD Forest Service, EPA, DOW Agribusiness, USFWS, and non-profits.
PROJECT RESULTS
Project Results:
Give an overview of the results of the project. Include quantifiable measure of success, such as maps produced, efficacy of control measures, number of sites where invasions were detected early and responded to, number of community contacts, etc. (Up to 250 words).
It is a little too early to provide definitive results for this project. Vegetation monitoring plots were established in Fall 2006, and baseline data was collected. The plots were monitored again in the late summer after the area was mowed by the Geoboy in the spring. Some of the invasive plants, such as wineberry, were reduced by the mowing, however, others like Japanese stilt grass, thrived from the disturbance. The area was treated with herbicides in late summer. A controlled burn is scheduled for the winter/spring of 2008. The vegetation will be monitored again that spring. Results will be more definitive at that time.
Number of Acres Treated:
6
Number of Acres Inventoried and/or Mapped:
6
Number of Acres Restored:
Hopefully 6 acres by the end of the project duration
BUDGET INFORMATION
Budget:
Account for funds in broad categories such as equipment, volunteer stipends, travel, coordinator salary/contract, etc.
Total Grant Amount:
$
$10,000
Breakdown of Expenditures:
Category
Total $ Spent
% of Total Grant
Equipment / Supplies
1,000
Chemical
$3,000
Biocontrol Agents
Travel
Volunteer Stipends
Volunteer Coordinator Salary/Contract
Restoration Materials
Other
$6,000
TOTAL
Recommendations:
(OPTIONAL)
How useful was this program for meeting refuge invasive species objectives and how can it be improved?
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