River to River

Report offers help in Japanese Stiltgrass battle

2011-11-28T08:50:00.000-08:00

Southern Illinois University and the River to River CWMA recently published a white paper on the result of the 2010 Stiltgrass Summit. A press release on this publication can be found at: http://news.siu.edu/2011/11/112211tjc11098.html. A copy of the white paper can be found at: http://www.rtrcwma.org/stiltgrass/Whitepaper.pdf.

The 2011 Annual report for the Southern Illinois Invasive Plant Strike Team now available online

2011-10-20T11:10:00.001-07:00

The Southern Illinois Invasive Plant Strike Team has completed its third year of work managing invasive plants in the eleven southernmost counties of Illinois. The strike team is a program of The Nature Conservancy with funding from the USFS State & Private Forestry and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and in cooperation with the River to River CWMA.

You can read about the strike team and view all three annual reports at: http://www.rtrcwma.org/project/striketeam.html

A direct ink to the 2011 annual report is: http://www.rtrcwma.org/ISSTFinal_Annual_Report_2011.pdf

New purple paint law for Illinois

2011-10-17T08:45:00.000-07:00

Knowing about the new law allowing landowners to mark their lands as 'No Trespassing' using only purple paint is important for anyone spending time outdoors, including invasive species managers. A recent article in the Chicago Tribune discusses this new law.

You can find the article here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-purple-paint-law-20111017,0,288687.story?page=1

Japanese chaff flower found in Johnson County

2011-10-05T06:38:00.000-07:00

Japanese chaff flower, Achyranthes japonica, is a new invader to southern Illinois. It has mostly been restricted to forestlands ajacent to the Ohio River, but several recent finds indicate that it is moving inland. Just last week, three different infestations were found in Johnson County on state lands. These new locations may have been started by hikers unintentionally moving seeds around.

Because chaff flower seeds can readily stick to clothing, hair, and animal fur, it is important that anyone hiking, hunting, or otherwise being in the forests in southern Illinois take the time to clean off and remove seeds from their clothing and mud and dirt from their shoes before and after going into the woods. This simple step can have a real impact on slowing the spread of invasive plants.

To view the distribution of chaff flower, and other invasive plants, in southern Illinois, view the River to River's distribution mapping webpage at: http://www.rtrcwma.org/distribution/index.html

Two recent stories on ecosystem impacts of invasion

2011-10-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

Two recent stories surfaced about invasive plants and how far reaching their impacts on ecosystems can be.

The first story comes from a recent journal article by Watling et al. In this article, the researchers were looking at bush honeysuckle and how invasions lead to a decrease in amphibian diversity (both richness and eveness). Basically what happened was the slightly cooler temperatures under the honeysuckle lead to the native green frog flourishing, which it then was able to outcompete the other native amphibians, leading to domianance by one species and lower diversity overall. You can find their research in Biological Conservation.

The second story came from NPR's 'Living on Earth' series and it was about invasive plants in Montana's grasslands. The stiff thatch of the invaders, such as spotted knapweed and leafy spurge, has provided structure for a couple of native spiders to build more and larger webs than they would be able to in native prairie. This has led to more insect prey being caught, allowing the spiders to reproduce more and thus build more webs and feed on more insects. They sum up their point very well by saying "The native spiders are thriving because of the new exotic plants. They can eat more insects, and these insects can then no longer keep the growth of certain plants in check, and on and on. You alter one piece of the ecosystem, and the whole web changes." You can read the transcript or listen to the audio of the story on the Living on Earth website .

Both of these stories really do illustrate a point that is often overlooked when considering invasive plants. Their presence in a new environment can have impacts that are unforseen and not restricted to direct competitors. With a cursory glance, one might even think these invaders are having a positive impact on their surroundings (both situations lead to an increase in the populations of native species), but a closer look reveals their ability to throw things out of balance and faciliitate a larger-scale collapse in diversity. I think the authors of the honeysuckle article put it best when they labelled honeysuckle as having the ability to be an "Invasive Ecosystem Engineer", which they describe in the below excerpt:
"Invasive species can have far-reaching impacts on ecosystems. Although some invasive species interact with native taxa primarily through one or few biotic or abiotic pathways (e.g., competition, allelopathy), habitat-forming invasive species may act as ecosystem engineers with the potential to affect many organisms through multiple different pathways. Although the impacts of invasive species are often framed in terms of trophic interactions between organisms (e.g., species that interact as competitors or as predators and prey), an emerging perspective emphasizes the ability of invasive plants to change habitat structure or quality, i.e., to act as ecosystem engineers. Invasive ecosystem engineers may have widespread effects on native species that do not directly consume or compete with the invader. Identifying these non-trophic effects is important because they may be pervasive, yet cryptic consequences of invasion, especially given the extensive realized and potential distribution of many species in invaded landscapes."

Fall is the time to identify many woody invasive species

2011-09-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

With the arrival of autumn comes the changing of the colors of leaves and the ripening of fruits. Along with that, also comes the opportunity to easily find woody invasive plants. Many of these invasive species turn distinctive colors or stay green longer than native species, allowing for easy identification. Also, with the cooler temperatures, the disappearance of ticks and chiggers, and the senescence of posion ivy, it is a great time to be out in the woods.

Here are some tips on what to look for when identifying some of our common woody invasive plants.

Oriental bittersweet
Oriental bittersweet is a woody vine that climbs up and over trees and shrubs, particularly along forest edges. In the fall, bittersweet leaves turn a bright yellow color and the fruit on female plants mature and the covering splits open to reveal scarlet red berries (called arals). Look for the yellow leaves surrounding the trucks of trees or draping over the top of shrubs or lower branches of trees.

Bush honeysuckle
Bush honeysuckle is a shrub that can be found growing along the edge or within the interior of a forest. Like bittersweet, it also has yellow leaves and bright red berries. Bush honeysuckle is unique in that it is often one of the last plants to remain green in the fall and one of the first plants to green up in the spring. In the fall, looking for honeysuckle shortly after the trees have lost their leaves is often the best time to spot this species. Look for small shrubs (10-15 feet tall) densely covered in leaves that are dark green turning to bright yellow.

Burning bush
Burning bush is a common ornamental shrub used in landscaping, but is starting to spread into wildlands in southern Illinois. This species is instantly recognizable in the fall by its bright red fall color and its upright growth form. Late in the fall, burning bush levaes turn from a dark green to a deep red in color. Often, during this turn, the leaves will have somewhat of a purplis or maroon tinge. Upon closer inspection, the branches will usually show some type of corky wings.

Autumn olive
Autumn olive is large shrub or small tree that is very common across southern Illinois, particularly in grassland or field settings. This species also keeps its leaves longer than most of our native species. When it still has its leaves, autumn olive can be recognized by the silvery coloration of the underside of the leaves. This coloration gives the entire plant a shiny, silverly sheen that stands out and separates it from any other shrub species.

CWMA hosts field tour for Japanese chaff flower

2011-09-09T06:49:00.000-07:00

The River to River CWMA hosted a field our to learn more about Japanese chaff flower, a new invader moving through southern Illinois. The field day started at the Barkhausen Wetlands Center and finished at Chestnut Hills Nature Preserve. Twenty-five people attended the tour, including state and federal employees, non-profit organization staff, conservation organization members, and private citizens. Attendees got a first-hand introduction to Japanese chaff flower. Impacts, management, and spread prevention were discussed as well. To learn more about Japanese chaff flower, go to the CWMA species alert at http://www.rtrcwma.org/Japanesechafffloweralert.pdf

Japanese Chaff Flower Field Day- September 8th

2011-08-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

Please join us for a field day to discuss and view a new invasive rapidly spreading along the Ohio River. Japense chaff flower (Achyranthes japonica) is a perennial herbaceous plant that has rapidly spread throughout bottomland forests along the Ohio River. It has the potential to form dense stands and chaff flower seeds spreads easily via water or clinging to clothing or animal fur. This species is expanding its range at an alarming rate and has the potential to show up anywhere in southern Illinois, Missouri or Kentucky.

Early detection is going to be a key component of managing this plant, so correct identification is a must. Attendees will learn to identify Japanese chaff flower, see first hand how it invades forestlands, and hear about the rapid spread of this species

Japanese Chaff Flower Field Day

When: September 8th, 9am to noon

Where: Barkhausen Wetlands Center, near Cypress, IL

Directions to the Wetlands Center: The Wetlands Center is located at 8885 State Rt. 37 South Cypress, IL 62923. It is 9 miles south of West Vienna on rte 37. Click Here to see a google map of the location.

We will meet at the Wetlands Center at 9am, view some slides and samples of chaff flower and then car pool out to Chestnut Hills Nature Preserve to tour an invaded site and learn the history of invasion. If time will allow, we may also view a site along the Cache River.

The River to River CWMA has developed a Species Alert for Chaff flower that can be view at: http://www.rtrcwma.org/Japanesechafffloweralert.pdf

Additional pictures of chaff flower can be found at: http://www.invasive.org/browse/subthumb.cfm?sub=14211

If you plan on attending, please RSVP to Chris Evans at the contact information below.

--
Christopher Evans, Coordinator
River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area
8588 Route 148
Marion, IL 62959
office- 618-998-5920
cell- 618-364-7261
RiverToRiver@gmail.com
www.rtrcwma.org

Study investigates hiker's potential to transport seeds

2011-07-26T06:46:00.001-07:00

A new study from Australia suggests that hikers are spreading invasive plants through transporting the seeds stuck on their boots or clothing.

A press release of the study can be found here: http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1027

Ecological consequences of bush honeysuckle

2011-07-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

The journal, Diversity and Distributions, published a very interesting discussion on the ecological consequences of bush honeysuckle invasions and methods used to investigate those consequences.

You can find the article here: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00817.x/full

New detailed literature review of Japanese Stiltgrass

2011-07-19T09:03:00.001-07:00

The Fire Effects Information System, a program under the Forest Service, has published a very detailed literature review of Japanese Stiltgrass. The review can be found at:

http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/graminoid/micvim/all.html

Free Webcast: Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers for Invasive Plant Projects, June 27

2011-06-16T12:33:00.001-07:00

The Midwest Invasive Plant Network and the Stewardship Network are joining forces to host a webcast aimed at providing continuing education for Cooperative Weed Management Areas. All are welcome to participate.

Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers for Invasive Plant Projects
Monday, June 27, 11:00 AM Eastern/10:00 Central

Join us for a free online interactive presentation and discussion of how to recruit and keep volunteers involved-what your organization needs from volunteers and what they need and want from you! Volunteer stewardship workdays are a key facet of restoring the health and beauty of our natural areas, and the success of those workdays depends on the stewardship volunteers and organizers. During this presentation you will learn a variety of strategies for volunteer recruitment, tools for keeping volunteers engaged and happy, and ideas for encouraging them to come back.

Our speakers will be:
Jason Frenzel, Stewardship Coordinator for the Huron River Watershed Council
Laurel Malvitz-Draper, Resource Steward for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources State Park Stewardship Unit

Click here to view webcast! (link will become live day of webcast).

If you have any questions contact Lisa Brush at (734) 395-4483 or Kate Howe at (317) 829-3812.

Strange things happen to guys who wear pants - seed transport article

2011-05-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

"Birds, bats and bees might be the most famous plant pollinators, but seeds like to hitchhike on clothing, making us surprisingly good seed carriers."

National Public Radio has a very interesting article on the ability of humans to move seeds around. Complete with video clips. You can read the article at:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/05/12/136211607/strange-things-happen-to-guys-who-wear-pants?sc=fb&cc=fp

Upcoming Southern Illinois Weed Watcher Training Session and Vounteer Party

2011-04-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

You Are Invited!!
Weeds and Wine Volunteer Recruitment &
Invasive Plant ID Party!

Why: Invasive plant species are invading our beautiful natural areas. They are aggressively overtaking or displacing native species causing a drastic reduction in our native biodiversity and natural beauty. Discovering weeds before they become well-established is critical to reducing damage to ecosystem integrity, preventing the loss of habitat for rare plants and animals, and preventing costly natural resource management.

Who: Everyone who has been, currently is, or wants to be involved in the Weed Watch Project.

What: Invasive Weed ID and Wine Party.

When: Sunday, May 15 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Where: Pomona Winery, 2865 Hickory Ridge Road, Pomona, IL 62975

What to Bring: Drinking water for the trail and some cash to buy yourself a glass of delicious Pomona Winery apple wine or non-alcoholic soft drink. Snacks and munchies will be provided-but extra contributions won’t be turned down! We’ll kick off the party by explaining what WeedWatch is and the various ways you can get involved, then professional botanists will lead an invasive weed identification training. Following the training we’ll gather back at the winery to celebrate the accomplishments made over the past three years, to celebrate the future of the project, to get acquainted with old and new friends, and to have fun!

Please RSVP to terri.treacy@sierraclub.org or 618-521-1030.

The Illinois WeedWatch Project has been made possible through a grant from the
Illinois Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Preservation Fund.

Directions to Pomona Winery
The winery is easily reached from Highway 127 by following the wine trail signs and arrows. If you haven’t been to the winery before look forward to a scenic 25 to 35 minute drive through the lovely Shawnee Hills Forest once you leave Highway 127 (either the southern or the northern routes off the highway take about the same time). And, yes, from Highway 127 it is the longest 9.1 miles that you will ever drive--so relax, enjoy the scenery, and travel safe!

Changes Coming to WeedWatch
We are developing some new approaches to data collection that will accomodate a broader range of physical ability, interest level and time commitment. If you can’t come to the party, but are interested in learning more about how you can get involved in WeedWatch, please contact Terri at terri.treacy@sierraclub.org or 618-521-1030.

WeedWatch Accomplishments
WeedWatch Volunteers have contributed hundreds of hours in the field collecting hundreds of points and polygons. This data, all entered into a central database, has been used by agencies to treat infested areas, or in the case of the Shawnee National Forest, to help in the development of the Invasive Species Plan. This plan is due to be released soon for public comment and implementation (barring any major public resistance).

Results from Lower Ohio River Survey for Aquatic, Wetland, and Riparian Invasive Species now available online

2011-04-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

The Central Hardwoods Invasive Plant Network (or Chip-N) has recently completed a collaborative survey of invasive species along the lower Ohio River Valley and the results are now available online at: http://www.rtrcwma.org/chip-n

Chip-N is an informal partnership between Cooperative Weed Management Areas in the southern portions of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio (River to River CWMA, Southern Indiana CWMA, Iron Furnace CWMA and the Southeast Ohio NNIS Interest Group).

This project, with funding from USFS State & Private Forestry, USFS Eastern Region and several other sources, worked with The Nature Conservancy, Notre Dame University and the University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health to design and implement the surveys and make the results available online.

This project resulted in the discovery of many new infestations of invasive species along the Lower Ohio River, its tributaries, and some nearby reservoirs. Most notably was the discovery of widespread infestations of Hydrilla along the Ohio River adjacent to Indiana and Ohio.

To see maps based on the results, go to http://www.rtrcwma.org/chip-n

Ohio River Project Receives National Award Three-state project surveyed for aquatic and riparian species

2011-04-11T10:08:00.000-07:00

Bedford, IN – (April 4, 2011) When Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio looked for ways to work together on an invasive species – the project they settled on was a winner. The project literally won awards at both the regional and national level of the Forest Service!

Chris Evans from the River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) in Illinois, represented the Shawnee National Forest and worked with Teena Ligman from the Hoosier National Forest and Southern Indiana CWMA and Cheryl Coon from the Wayne National Forest and two Ohio CWMAs. The three of them decided on a project involving surveying for aquatic and riparian species along the Ohio River and its major tributaries. Inland lakes within the southern parts of the states were also surveyed.

On March 2, 2011, the three partners attended an awards ceremony in Washington DC. Lindsay Chadderton from The Nature Conservancy, Doug Keller from Indiana DNR, and John Navarro from Ohio DNR were also recognized. Chadderton developed the technique to do the aquatic surveys using a snorkeler with a kayak companion. His crew of graduate students from Notre Dame led by Erick Elgin did the surveys around boat ramps in each state.

The project will also be recognized at the regional level on April 21, 2011 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The project developed by the tri-state group was dubbed Central Hardwoods Invasive Partnership Network or “CHIP-N.” The partnership brought together four CWMAs and three national forests to work towards a common goal to extend the reach of individual efforts and determine the extent and distribution of aquatic and riparian invasive species along the lower Ohio River Valley. Funding was received from US Forest Service State and Private, the US Forest Service Eastern Region, and the Oberweiller Foundation. Surveys were done by a team of graduate students employed by Notre Dame University and supervised by Lindsay Chadderton (The Nature Conservancy).

Aquatic systems in the Ohio River Valley were mapped for aquatic and riparian invasive plants. Two aquatic invasive mollusks (zebra mussel and Chinese mystery snail) were also surveyed. The survey focused on boat ramps. Many aquatic invasive species are easily transported on boats or trailers. Infestations near boat ramps, and other high-use areas, serve as sources for introduction and spread of these invasive species.

The survey team also did a search for terrestrial and wetland invasive plants around each boat ramp and parking area. Across the three states, 329 ramps were surveyed and 513 infestations were documented for 15 different species. The data are being compiled and uploaded to the project website (http://www.rtrcwma.org/chip-n/), to promote public awareness of invasive species in the Lower Ohio River Valley.

The next step is to use the data to develop an interstate strategic plan for prioritization and treatment. These treatments should hopefully contain and prevent the spread of invasives beyond current locations and protect native aquatic and terrestrial vegetation in the Lower Ohio River Basin.

Guest View article on native plants in The Southern Illinoisan

2011-02-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

Tuesday's Guest View article in The Southern Illinoisan was on gardening with native plants and discussed the threat of invasive species

http://thesouthern.com/news/opinion/editorial/guest/article_28fed26e-38c3-11e0-9aa1-001cc4c002e0.html

New videos on invasive plant identification available from University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension

2011-02-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

The Renz lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Agronomy Department and UW-Extension has a series of videos for the identification of invasive plants. These videos can be found at the new UW-Extension Weed Science website:

http://fyi.uwex.edu/weedsci/category/videos/

Currently there are 13 videos with 6 to 10 more planned for release this coming field season. The current species covered are:

Black swallow-wort
Bush honeysuckles
Canada thistle
Common tansy
Creeping bellflower
Dame's rocket
Garlic mustard
Hill mustard
Leafy spurge
Plumeless thistle
Spotted knapweed
Teasel
Wild chervil

The UW-Extension Weed Science website also has a number of other resources. There are presentations, factsheets, links, and much more.

New Website on Japanese Stiltgrass

2011-01-31T10:54:00.000-08:00

Angie Shelton at Indiana University has created a new website on predicting the spread of invasive species, with a focus on her research on Japanese stiltgrass. The information will be of interest to both land managers and researchers.
Take a look at http://www.indiana.edu/~preserve/InvasiveSpread

To hear Angie’s talk on the topic from the Stiltgrass Summit, hosted by River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area last summer, visit http://www.rtrcwma.org/stiltgrass/

Bush honeysuckle control brings out a crowd at recent volunteer workday

2011-01-31T10:50:00.001-08:00

Green Earth, Inc. recently hosted a volunteer workday at their Chautauqua Bottoms property in Carbondale, IL. Partnering with the SIU Restoration Club and the River to River CWMA, the workday attracted over twenty volunteers. Bush honeysuckle was the main target, but volunteers also helped control privet and autumn olive.

For more information about Green Earth, Inc. and their workdays, see: http://www.greenearthinc.org/

Invasive Plant Curriculum

2011-01-31T10:49:00.001-08:00

Here is a neat curriculum to assistance teachers in teaching their students about invasive plant issues.

Alien Invasion: Plants on the Move
Weed Curriculum for grades K-12

http://weedinvasion.org/weed_home.php

New Publication on Aquatic Invasive Plant Management and Ecology

2011-01-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

A very detailed publication on the 'Biology and Control of Aquatic Plants' in now available online from the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation.

A copy of the book can be found at: http://www.aquatics.org/bmp.htm

New Invasive - Japanese Chaff Flower, looking for information

2010-12-15T11:41:00.000-08:00

We are tracking the distribution of a relatively new exotic plant, Japanese Chaff Flower (Achyranthes japonica) in the Eastern United States. So far it seems to be concentrated along the lower Ohio River Valley, but spots have also cropped up in TN, AL, and GA.

This plant grows well in forested bottomlands, but we’ve also seen it growing in ditches, fencerows, and upland forests. It is a perennial and appears to be able to form pretty dense populations that, in some areas, can even outcompete stiltgrass. It has seeds that will readily stick to clothing or fur, aiding in spread.

It is a unique-looking plant and pretty easy to identify. Here is a short species alert that we developed:

http://www.rtrcwma.org/Japanesechafffloweralert.pdf

This time of year, you can easily identify the plant from the bright straw-color and the long spikes of seeds that lay flat against the spike.

More pictures are available at: http://www.invasive.org/browse/subthumb.cfm?sub=14211

I am very interested in knowing of any locations where this plant might be growing. If you are familiar with this plant and know of any locations (particularly new states or counties), please either let me know about it or enter them into the EDDMapS mapping system (www.eddmaps.org). Here is a link to where we currently know it is located:

http://www.eddmaps.org/distribution/uscounty.cfm?sub=14211

Thank you for the help,

Chris

Be on the Lookout - Oriental Bittersweet

2010-11-22T11:54:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year that people start thinking about decorative wreaths. Although the fact in unknown to most, these holiday wreaths can harbor an invasive species. Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) is a very aggressive invasive vine that invades forests and forest edges across the eastern United States. It is very prevalent in Southern Illinois. Oriental bittersweet is a popular vine for making wreaths because of its showy red berries and bendable vines. However, when you discard that wreath in the spring, you could actually be planting bittersweet on your land. Learn to recognize bittersweet and other invasive species by visiting the River to River CWMA website at:
http://www.rtrcwma.org/species.html.

Also, here is a link to a article Oriental bittersweet and wreaths:
http://concord.patch.com/articles/pretty-perilous-plant

9 Great Invasive Species Worth Admiring - Gallery

2010-11-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

Fun gallery with great pictures

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/11/invasive-species-gallery/?pid=485