CSR’s Wyoming Regional Manager, Barbara Murcray, at a restoration site near Douglas, WY. CSR will be spraying noxious weeds and then seeding the site with native species this fall. The management of noxious weeds is an integral aspect of implementing a long-term plan for native restoration projects.
Noxious/invasive weeds cause several detrimental effects upon the environment. They destroy wildlife habitat, displace native species, reduce plant and animal diversity by creating monocultures, disrupt migratory and waterfowl flight patterns and nesting habits, increase the likelihood of fires, and are the second largest contributor to native species becoming threatened or endangered. Viewed in this context, a weed management program becomes imperative to further enhance the restoration of degraded landscapes.
CSR’s weed management program is derived from the following objectives:
- implement effective weed control methods using an integrated approach
- prevent the introduction, reproduction and spread of designated noxious weeds and invasive exotic plants
- protect important or critical habitats from weed invasion
- rehabilitate infested areas to reduce susceptibility of reinvasion
- contain the spread, reduce the density, and decrease the size of existing infestations
Once a balanced native ecosystem has been established, further chemical application is not necessary. Weed control is paramount to successful restoration.
Read more about herbicide application and the restoration of native plant habitats HERE on the CSR website.
Filed under: Biology, Restoration, Seeding, Stewardship Tagged: | invasive species
