Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula, is an invasive plant that steals water and nutrients from native plants. Because of its seeds high germination rate, complex root system, and its ability to regrow and re-establish from small pieces of root, leafy spurge is extremely difficult to remove once established. Once leafy spurge gains a foothold in an area, native vegetation begins to be displaced and eventually disappears, altering wildlife habitat in the process. Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota is the site selected where leafy spurge will be mapped using various types of remote sensing imagery. This study will attempt to determine the type of imagery best suited for identifying and mapping leafy spurge. AVIRIS, Hyperion and ALI overpass, Landsat Thematic Mapper and panchromatic, fused IKONOS MSS/panchromatic, CASI, and air photo interpretation will be tested. Season-to-season time sequence comparisons of Hyperion spectra, calibrated to surface reflectance, for leafy spurge and associated vegetation for the May, June, and July 2001 growing seasons will be developed. Metrics will be developed to determine the costs and benefits of each imagery type for mapping leafy spurge. A spectral library for all ground spectra obtained from Theodore Roosevelt National Park will be published. One of the challenges in dealing with leafy spurge is identifying where future stands might occur. An expert system will be developed to predict future spread and distribution of leafy spurge within the Park.
Project Lead: Ralph Root
For additional information, please visit:

• National Park Service: Plant Conservation Alliance, Alien Plant Working Group - Leafy Spurge Fact Sheet
• National Park Service: Weeds Gone Wild - Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas