Salmon River Corridor Project, Summer ‘09

In the summer of 2009, CSR completed a weed eradication program for the Sawtooth National Forest along the Salmon River Corridor. We sprayed roughly 150 acres of Spotted Knapweed, Yellow Toadflax and a few other invasive weeds found along Highway 75. All targeted weeds are listed on the Idaho Invasive Species List. The project began at the Sawtooth Nation Forest building south of Galena Summit and extended up past Stanley, Idaho. The contract also included weed mapping using GPS hand-held devices. This
data will be used in future years to retreat any remaining viable weed populations and to track the spread of invasive species into native habitats previously uninfested. There were several expansive patches found along the highway as well as some individual populations that were as large as 7acres. Chemical control of these weed patches in the Salmon River Corridor meant lots of backpack spraying and plenty of hiking up and down steep canyon walls. While this was a major undertaking, it was important to prevent further expansion of the invasive populations. The Salmon River corridor is the major access road into hundreds of campsites and thousands of acres of pristine wilderness.

Focusing on this travel corridor is an effective management tool to reduce the prevalence of weeds further into the back-country: if you can treat invasive species where people drive, camp and play then you also decrease the chance that weed seeds will be carried further into native wilderness habitats. This beautiful area should be protected and preserved and we were grateful for the opportunity to lend a hand. While this contract required some grueling manual labor, the Salmon River and the Sawtooth Mountains was an inspiring place to work for a few weeks this summer.

Poisonous Native: Zigadenus venenosus, Meadow Death-camas

Zigadenus venenosus, Meadow Death-camas, a poisonous native plant everyone should be aware of. When it is not flowering, it can be mistaken for any number of our native Alliums (onions) and is NOT related to the Common Camas (purple and white flowers). It can be listed as a wetland indicator -however, it has been noted in VERY dry conditions as well.

*All parts of this plant contain the poisonous alkaloid zygadenine, which some claim to be more potent than strychnine. One bulb, raw or cooked, can be fatal. Poisoning result from confusing these bulbs with those of edible species. The bulbs of death camas are oval and covered with blackish scales. This plant causes fatalities among livestock. The lethal dose is estimated at between 2.0-6.0% of animal body weight, and this species is considered to be more toxic than mountain death camas, Zigadenus elegans. Symptoms of poisoning are similar for all species of animals. Symptoms in sheep include excessive salivation, froth around the nose and mouth, nausea, vomiting, muscular weakness, ataxia, possible coma, and death. The heart fails before respiration. Postmortem findings reveal the heart in complete diastole. Lesions include severe pulmonary congestion, hemorrhage, and edema. Humans have been poisoned after ingesting the bulbs and flowers. In most cases, the bulbs are mistaken for onions. A 2-year-old child became ill after eating the blossoms. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, slow breathing, unconsciousness (though responsive to pain or movement), hyperactive tendons and limbs, pupil dilation, and hypo tension. The alkaloids cause local irritation when ingested and affect the cardiovascular system by slowing the heart and decreasing blood pressure. Treatment includes emesis, activated charcoal, and saline cathartic. Atropine was also given.

*Montana.plant-life.org

Seed Cleaning in the Nursery

Listed left to right, top to bottom: Betula occidentalis, Water Birch. Sambucus cerulea, Blue Elderberry

Elymus glaucus, Blue Wildrye. Leymus cinereus, Basin Wildrye

Clematis ligusticifolia…..Clean Clematis seeds.

Symphoricarpos albus Common Snowberry Fruits…..Clean Common Snowberry seeds.

Vaccinium scoparium, Grouse Whortleberry fruits…..Grouse Whortleberry fruit and clean seeds

Presentation at the Boise Foothills Learning Center

This weekend, January the 9th, CSR-Inc owner Steven Paulsen will be speaking at the Boise Foothills Learning Center. At 10am and then again at 2pm, he will be presenting the many benefits of “Going Native”.

From comparing nativescaping vs xeriscaping, the benefits of installing native turf vs traditional lawns and water conservation. He will present project examples, explain Stewardship maintenance and monitoring systems, plant diversity and will also have a selection of native plants on display.

If you happen to be in the area, or are simply looking for a fun, educational outing, we encourage you to join us. Here is a map to help you on your way. See you there!

Native Focus: Heartleaf Arnica, Arnica cordifolia

Heartleaf Arnica, Arnica cordifolia. *This pubescent perennial with long-petioled, heart-shaped basal leaves bears a single, yellow, radiate flower atop a solitary, 8-20 in. stem . Plants are rhizomatous and form clumps to several feet across. The plant makes a tight-binding carpet of green leaves at ground level. Stems with 2-4 pairs of heart-shaped leaves are topped by 1-3 broad yellow heads.

In alpine areas or in open places along roads, the leaves may be narrower and without the notch at the base of the blade. All western species have paired leaves on the stems, but only this one has heart-shaped leaves. Grows in dry or moist soil, open or wooded locations; 3500-10,000 ft. with flowers blooming in May, June, July and August.

*Lady Bird Johnson, Wildflower Center

Happy New Year!

Conservation Seeding and Restoration Inc is enjoying the week of New Years as a holiday vacation. The entire staff at CSR, Inc wishes you and your family a joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year.

CSR Christmas Toy Drive

CSR’s Valley House toy drive was a huge success! We had 12 employees/employee families participate to provide gifts for 20 kids in
need, with a total haul of a whopping 30 gifts for both the kids and the house in general! Way to go Team CSR!

Happy Holidays from Conservation, Seeding and Restoration Inc!

WY Russian Olive Brushing Project

Our Idaho construction crew has been spending quite a bit of time in Wyoming the past month working on a Russian Olive removal project. Russian Olives have taken over this particular area and the guys are reclaiming it. The first step to restoring this site back to native vegetation includes cutting down the Russian Olives and applying chemical to the stumps to prevent regrowth. Regrowth is likely, but this approach greatly reduces the re-treatment chemical application. This time of year is an optimal time for cut-stump activities. As trees move into dormancy, sap-flow carries the chemical deep into the roots, effectively controlling the invasive species. This can prove to be a tough job, especially when the weather dips into the negative digits. You have to hand to them though, they have cut through most of the project site before returning home for the holidays. Great work guys!

Invasive Focus: Myrtle Spurge, Euphorbia myrsinites L.

Perhaps you have seen this plant around your neighborhood? Pretty -but extremely invasive. Myrtle spurge can crowd out native habitat for wildlife. It poses danger to adults and children, because of it’s caustic latex sap. This sap causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea when ingested. If the sap comes in contact with the skin, it causes redness, swelling and blisters -this I have seen firsthand. Myrtle spurge was introduced as an ornamental plant because of it’s deer resistance and adaptation to dry soil. Commonly used in landscapes as a border plant, it takes over and spreads like crazy! Oddly enough, it is still popular in area nurseries, yet listed as noxious and even illegal to cultivate in some surrounding states.

The Lorax, CSR Library

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, is a book title held close to the heart of CSR, Inc. As such, it seems only fitting to start our new blog page with such.  Read on as one of  CSR, Inc’s  owners  express the importance of finding “True Value”…..

It’s important to note that this story, as simple and straight forward as it is, provides for us at CSR, Inc a couple of very powerful truths.  First, we are the “Oncler” as a society.  Second, we are the “Lorax” as a community inside of that society.  Simply we, the “humanity, Oncler’s”,  are the only beings that set forth a value for creatures, landscapes, habitats and all other items in or on the planet earth. Because we take the liberty to set the values it’s up to us, the “Lorax” of society,  to establish value for the things the “Onclers”  have overlooked from their perches and towers, or missed in their vigor to establish value for things that are easier to see, feel and experience.  Please read this children’s book and experience your surroundings in a way that lets YOU place a different “value” on items that seem distant or difficult to understand.  Accept the world the way a child does and learn from the humility that comes from acknowledging you are not the one that sets forth the values you have been taught to cherish, but are merely reacting to the teachings of society.  Don’t be a “Oncler”.

“On the Bookshelf” is a growing collection, with new titles added every week, of the informative books shelved within the offices of CSR, Inc. We look forward to exploring and sharing these books with our readers and encourage you to share with us any of your favorite titles as well. Enjoy!