2006 "Volunteers Working With Invasives"
Grants Report Form
Display Report
PROJECT BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Project Title:
Rio Vista invasive nonnative plant species control
Region:
8
Station:
Sacramento River NWR
Contact Person:
Name and Phone Number
Kelly Moroney (530) 934-2801
Project Description:
(Up to 250 words)
The project area consists of 27 acres located within the Rio Vista Unit and is located along the Sacramento River. This northern property of the refuge is located along the Sacramento River and is critical to preventing invasive plant species from spreading downriver. Yellow star-thistle (Centaurea solstitialis), Johnson-grass (Sorghum halepense), and tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) are currently the primary invasive species threat and the targets for this project. The early detection of and a rapid response to outbreaks of these invasive plant species is critical to preventing their spread. However, with many important native plant species located along the river, this approach must be balanced with new and innovative methods of control. These new methods will be necessary in order to allow native species to thrive while applying weed control measures to the target aggressive and invasive non-native species. This project will utilize a combination of prescribed fire, approved herbicides, and mechanical treatments to control these invasive species. The project has a re-vegetation component, which includes seeding native species and local ecotypes of blue wildrye (Elymus glaucus) and mugwort (Artemisia douglasiana). Control of these invasive species will increase re-vegetation success.
List of Invasives Species Targeted:
Common Name
Scientific Name
Yellow star-thistle
Centaurea solstitialis
Johnson-grass
Sorghum halepense
tree-of-heaven
Ailanthus altissima
Project Status:
InProgress
Project Completion Date
or Estimated Completion Date:
(mm/dd/yyyy)
12/31/2007
VOLUNTEER INFORMATION
Volunteer Affiliation:
(Check all that apply)
VA_SchoolGrp
Volunteer Involvement:
Describe the type of work the volunteers performed. (Up to 150 words)
Volunteers activities included environmental education, hand-tool weeding, planting native grass plugs, and monitoring. Volunteers were managed by Student and Landowner Education and Watershed Stewardship Program (SLEWS)
Total Number of Volunteers:
25 high school students
Total Number of Volunteer Hours:
500 hours
Partnerships:
List both new and existing partnerships utilized in this project. (Up to 150 words).
The SRNWR has worked closely with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), an international non-profit organization, and the Student and to implement the project. Activities included managing volunteers, implementing direct native grass seeding, and chemical control of tree-of-heaven.
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).
To-date, we have controlled 8 acres of tree-of-heaven with approximately 90% efficacy using a combination of mechanical and chemical treatment. Fifteen acres of Yellow star-thistle and Johnson-grass have undergone 1 year of control utilizing fire, mechanical, and chemical controls with more than 80% efficacy rate. An additional year of chemical control is planned for eight acres prior to the direct native grass seeding in 2007- funds have been obligated through contracts for materials. Three acres of understory revegetation was completed with below 50% survival due to repeated flooding of the plantings during the winter and spring of 2006.
Number of Acres Treated:
27
Number of Acres Inventoried and/or Mapped:
Number of Acres Restored:
19 restored/enhanced, 8 acres ongoing
BUDGET INFORMATION
Budget:
Account for funds in broad categories such as equipment, volunteer stipends, travel, coordinator salary/contract, etc.
Total Grant Amount:
$
$6200.00
Breakdown of Expenditures:
Category
Total $ Spent
% of Total Grant
Equipment / Supplies
$913.50
15%
Chemical
$920
15%
Biocontrol Agents
Travel
Volunteer Stipends
Volunteer Coordinator Salary/Contract
$1500
24%
Restoration Materials
$1866.50
30%
Other
$1000
16%
TOTAL
$6200
100%
Recommendations:
(OPTIONAL)
How useful was this program for meeting refuge invasive species objectives and how can it be improved?
The program allowed us to implement weed control and native plant restoration utilizing partnerships and volunteers. The project was especially helpful in covering costs associated with the local high school outdoor education program through SLEWS.
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