Management Plans

One approach is to make sure that the herbaceous invasives plants are under control before starting to work on the shrub layer of invasive plants. The reason for this approach is that the shrub layer blocks sunlight which helps beep the herbaceous invasive seed bank in check.

A second approach is to remove the shrub layer first. The first year might then have a massive explosion of invasive plants (woody and herbaceous). If you are ready, prepared and have enough resources to manage the first year explosion then you might be able to eliminate the invasives faster.

A third method (which can work with either the 1st two methods) is to remove the fruit bearing invasive shrubs and leave the non-fruit bearing invasive shrubs for a future year. The non-fruit bearing invasive shrubs will provide some shade to help control re-growth.

The University of Michigan study at the St. Pierre wetlands  is a recent management plan for that site and also describes some of the research being done.

Per the USDA Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a science-based decision-making process that combines tools and strategies to identify and manage pests. IPM is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks.

IPM provides economic, health, and environmental benefits. IPM practitioners use knowledge of pest and host biology in combination with biological and environmental monitoring to respond to pest problems with management tactics designed to:

• prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage;

• minimize the risk to people, property, infrastructure, natural resources, and the environment; and

• reduce the evolution of pest resistance to pesticides and other pest management practices.

When cutting down woody invasive plants, you will end up with debris. If the site allows it, then you can cut the debris up to fairly short pieces (around 3ft - 4ft) and make sure that the debris is touching the ground. Nature will assist in the decomposition and the decomposition will help provide nutrients to the soil.

Another option is to use a home compost pile or a municipal compost system.

A word of caution is that home compost systems typically don’t get hot enough to kill the seeds from invasive plants. The seeds can be put in a municipal compost system or in the trash.

Another caution is that some woody plants (i.e. privet) can reroot from cuttings. Keeping the cuttings off the ground until the cutting dry out can prevent re-rooting. 

The Michigan Citizen’s Guide to Invasive Plant Disposal is useful if you don’t have access to a municipal compost.

The Ann Arbor compost system does take all herbaceous vegetation (including all invasives) and the compost does get hot enough to cook the seeds.

TBD

If the woody invasives have been there for a while then you might have quite a large seed bank of invasive species to deal with. The more sun the comes in stimulates all seeds (native and invasive).

We also frequently notice that herbaceous invasives come up near woody invasives and herbaceous invasive seeds also really like some sunlight.

According to a recent study, buckthorn seeds are only viable for 1-2 years instead of the assumed 6 year period. 

According to a recent study that focused on wetlands, reseeding with native seeds at a high density can increase native growth and biotic resistance.

Solid health and the microbiomes in the soil is a subject that hasn’t had much research.

If you go look at the soil in an area that has been heavily infested with woody invasive plants, you will notice that there is very little leaf litter and the soil doesn’t look very alive.

Some invasive plants (and some native plants) have an allelopathic quality that allow the plant to change the solid chemistry so that the solid is more conducive to that plant regenerating.

When starting to manage a property the work can be daunting. It can be difficult to know how to start. We recommend starting in one area and then expanding when you are ready. Having an area that you can consider a success is always worth celebrating.

Restoration is done in phases but over time, the effort required to manage an area does get less.

Complete permanent eradication is frequently impossible due to off-site influences such as”

• Humans - we move seeds on our boots, vehicles, construction equipment, pets, etc.

• Birds

• Wind

• Animals - ants, deer, etc.

Successes are possible and expected but monitoring and follow-up are required

As the person doing the restoration, you have the potential to inadvertently spread invasive seeds.

Inspect and remove plants, animals, and mud from your boat, trailer, vehicle, equipment, and gear (DiVittorio et al., 2012). 

Dispose of unwanted plants and animals in a responsible manner. If possible, scrub all equipment to free it of sediment or debris. Rinse with tap water when possible. If possible, decontaminate at the site location.

Boot brushes are an important tool for invasive plant removal.