ManagementManagement ofof SpartinaSpartina anglicaanglica inin thethe FraserFraser RiverRiver estuary,estuary, BritishBritish ColumbiaColumbia Gary Williams GL Williams & Associates Ltd.

White Rock & Surrey Naturalists Society May 12th, 2005 – White Rock, BC PresentationPresentation OutlineOutline z Origin of S. anglica in England z Identifying S. anglica z Comparison with native species z Fraser Delta management efforts OriginOrigin ofof S.S. anglicaanglica z S. maritima (native to SE England) z S. alterniflora (Atlantic US – ballast water) z native & introduced species hybridized z sterile F1 hybrid = S. townsendii z fertile amphidiploid = S. anglica (through chromosome doubling) z “Hybrid Vigour” – higher rates of photosynthesis – Increased sediment accretion – More frequent tidal submergence S.S. anglicaanglica (English(English cordgrass)cordgrass) ComparisonComparison withwith NativeNative SpeciesSpecies z Scirpus maritimus (seacoast bulrush) z Salicornia virginica (pickleweed) z Triglochin maritimum (seacoast arrowgrass) z Distichlis spicata (saltgrass) z Leymus (Elymus) mollis – (dunegrass) seacoastseacoast bulrush,bulrush, ScirpusScirpus maritimusmaritimus PickleweedPickleweed,, SalicorniaSalicornia virginicavirginica arrowgrassarrowgrass,, TriglochinTriglochin maritimummaritimum saltgrasssaltgrass,, DDistichlisistichlis spicataspicata dunegrassdunegrass,, LeymusLeymus ((ElymusElymus)) mollismollis EcologicalEcological ImpactsImpacts ofof S.S. anglicaanglica z Hybrid of S. maritima & S. alterniflora – spread to 120 countries z Aggressive invasive species – replaces mudflats with mono–culture – reduces fish and waterfowl habitat – accumulates sediments – alters tidal drainage (mudflats & upland) – out-competes native salt marsh species EcologicalEcological PerspectivePerspective NeededNeeded forfor InvasiveInvasive SpeciesSpecies ManagementManagement S.S. anglicaanglica –– aa RegionalRegional ProblemProblem EstuarineEstuarine NearshoreNearshore FunctionsFunctions MarineMarine NearshoreNearshore FoodFood WebWeb SteeringSteering CommitteeCommittee

z Pat Lim, Fisheries & Oceans Canada z Kathleen Moore, Canadian Wildlife Service z Dan Buffett, Ducks Unlimited Canada z Verne Kucy, Corporation of Delta z Ron Goldstone, BC Water Lands and Air Protection z Tasha Murray, Vancouver Aquarium z Juergen Baumann, Vancouver Port Authority z Gary Williams, GL Williams & Associates Ltd. z Wayne Mather, Greater Vancouver Regional District z Kyle Murphy, WA Department of Agriculture z Dave Heimer, WA Depart. of Fish and Wildlife z Laural Shiner, Whatcom Cty. Noxious Weed Board z Sally Hacker, Oregon State University z Keeley O’Connell, People for Puget Sound PrinciplesPrinciples ofof ControlControl ProgramProgram z Avoid the use of chemical herbicides – high sensitivity of habitats – difficult and lengthy process to obtain permits z S. anglica infestation small enough for complete removal – rapid, intensive response – WA 2003 treated 6,000 acres at a cost of $1.5 million S.S. anglicaanglica ManagementManagement ProgramProgram z Identification & information review – GW discovered in August 2003 – Spartina key & DNA analysis z Inventory & Planning – Fraser estuary and Burrard Inlet – GPS & GIS mapping (walking/hovercraft) z Removal – Manual and mechanical z Outreach and Education – NGO’s, municipalities, conferences S.S. anglicaanglica IdentificationIdentification z California Coastal Conservancy – www.spartina.org z Barkworth (2003) z S. Riggs, Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve z Cindy Sayre, UBC Herbarium z D. Ayres, Univ. CA, DNA analysis DNADNA AnalysisAnalysis (courtesy(courtesy D.D. Ayres)Ayres) Gel image of S. anglica (first 2 lanes) and S. alterniflora x foli hybrids

Band is absent in S. alterniflora (and S. foli)

S. maritima band in S. anglica HovercraftHovercraft InventoryInventory

z Hovercraft surveys – Nov. 2003 – Oct. 2004 DistributionDistribution inin BoundaryBoundary BayBay && RobertsRoberts BankBank AreaArea ofof ImpactImpact ofof ImpactImpact RegrowthRegrowth ofof S.S. anglicaanglica 20032003 RobertsRoberts BankBank ManualManual RemovalRemoval 20042004 ManualManual RemovalRemoval MethodsMethods 20042004 MechanicalMechanical RemovalRemoval ((inin situsitu burial)burial) ScheduleSchedule ofof SpartinaSpartina RemovalRemoval

Roberts Bank Boundary Bay Date Manual Excavator Manual Excavator Removal Removal Sep. 2003 clip seedheads Oct. 24, 2003 9 Jun. 17-19, 2004 9 9 Jun. 23, 2004 9 Aug. 3 & 12, 2004 9 Aug. 5, 2004 9 Sep. 2, 2004 9 Sep. 25, 2004 9 Oct. 13-14 9 CostsCosts forfor 20042004 ProgramProgram z $39,000 for consulting, excavator, materials, labour, and equipment z $79,000 in-kind support z Combined costs of $118,000 z Removed over 7500 kg of Spartina z Estimated Area: 248 ha – Roberts Bank = 65 ha (0.2 ha solid) – Boundary Bay = 183 ha (1.4 ha solid) FundingFunding z Vancouver Port Authority z Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service z Ducks Unlimited Canada z Fisheries and Oceans Canada z Greater Vancouver Regional District z Water Land and Air Protection z Western Regional Panel z BC Inter-Ministry Invasive Plant Committee VolunteersVolunteers z Over 100 volunteers z Vancouver Aquarium, Riverworks z Langley Environmental Partners Society z The Nature Trust z Puget Sound Action Team z Northwest Wildlife z Whatcom County z UBC student z Plus numerous individuals from Steering Committee agencies AA MatterMatter ofof ChoicesChoices