Dittrichia Graveolens)
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Vol. 20, No. 2 Spring 2012 Cal-IPC News Protecting California’s Natural Areas from Wildland Weeds Quarterly Newsletter of the California Invasive Plant Council PPlantinglanting a NativeNative UnderstoryUnderstory In California’s Central Valley, River Partners has Inside: been working to control invasive plants during restoration projects along the Sacramento River by The butterfl y effect ..............................4 establishing dense layers of native perennials, like the gumplant (Grindelia camporum) shown above. An ounce of prevention ........................5 Learn more about their techniques on page 8. Stinkwort (Dittrichia graveolens) .........7 2012 Symposium ...............................10 Photo: River Partners Jepson Manual taxonomy changes .....13 From the Director’s Desk Herbicides and butterfl ies recent article in Science Daily reported on a university study, concluding that “three Cal-IPC commonly used herbicides can dramatically reduce butterfl y populations.” An 1442-A Walnut Street, #462 A Berkeley, CA 94709 article in the San Francisco Chronicle ran under the headline “Weed killers may spell ph (510) 843-3902 fax (510) 217-3500 www.cal-ipc.org [email protected] the end for butterfl y” and claimed that herbicides “commonly used to control invasive plants in the Bay Area also kill off butterfl ies.” A California 501(c)3 nonprofi t organization Protecting California’s lands and waters This is important news. It relates directly to an issue we covered in our last issue, the from ecologically-damaging invasive plants through science, educations, and policy. protection of the endangered Lange’s metalmark butterfl y, endemic to Antioch Dunes STAFF Wildlife Refuge on the shore of San Francisco Bay. The butterfl y’s host plant is being Doug Johnson, Executive Director crowded out by invasive plants like winter vetch. Elizabeth Brusati, Science Program Manager Alice Chung, Training Program Specialist The articles remind us that habitat restoration requires diffi cult tactical choices, each Heather DeQuincy, Outreach Program Manager of which can have undesirable consequences. As the article on page 4 by the California Ginny King, Program Assistant Agustín Luna, Business Manager Department of Fish and Game’s Joel Trumbo points out, there are actions natural Bertha McKinley, Program Assistant resource managers can take to reduce the risk of such consequences. Dana Morawitz, Mapping Program Manager Cynthia Powell, Mapping & Modeling Specialist The Chronicle article also reminds us that journalistic interpretations of scientifi c Falk Schuetzenmeister, Mapping & Modeling Specialist studies commonly oversimplify the conclusions actually supported by the studies’ DIRECTORS fi ndings. In this case, the researchers used herbicide formulations that are not likely to John Knapp, President be selected for uses in sensitive butterfl y habitat, and they applied herbicide directly to Native Range, Inc. Jason Casanova, Vice-President the larval butterfl ies and their host plant, which would be avoided in a well-planned Council for Watershed Health restoration effort. Nor does the study distinguish whether impact to the butterfl ies Doug Gibson, Treasurer resulted from herbicide contact with the larval butterfl ies, ingestion of the herbicide, or San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy Julie Horenstein, Secretary herbicide damage to the host plant. California Department of Fish & Game Edith Allen Herbicides can be one of the best low-impact tools in the restoration toolbox. But University of California-Riverside they need to be used wisely. Those working to steward wildlife habitat by removing Peter Beesley invasive plants are of course concerned about the potential wildlife impacts of any Pacifi c Gas and Electric Edmund Duarte tools they use. Beyond following the legal requirements of herbicide labels, there may Alameda County Department of Agriculture be additional practices that can be employed by natural resource managers to further Jason Giessow Dendra, Inc. reduce potential for herbicide impact on wildlife. Kim Hayes That is why we are undertaking a project that will identify innovative practices Elkhorn Slough Foundation Sue Hubbard developed by longtime natural resource managers to reduce impact on wildlife. The Federal Employee project will also engage an expert toxicologist to review common restoration uses of Shawn Kelly herbicides to make recommendations for reducing potential wildlife impact. We intend Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project Dan Knapp to publish the results in a “best management practices” manual which will share the Los Angeles Conservation Corps information widely within the restoration fi eld. It continues to be our goal to ensure Chris McDonald UC Cooperative Extension that the latest available science on herbicide impacts be integrated into on-the-ground Peter Schuyler management decisions in California wildlands. Ecological Consultant Andrea Williams Marin Municipal Water District STUDENT LIAISONS Chelsea Carey UC Merced Kai Palenscar UC Riverside Affi liations for identifi cation purposes only. Cal-IPC News Spring 2012 - Volume 20, Number 2 Editors: Doug Johnson, Elizabeth Brusati, Heather DeQuincy Cal-IPC News is published quarterly by the California Invasive Plant Council. Articles may be reprinted with permission from the editors. Submissions are welcome. Mention of commercial products does not imply endorsement by Cal-IPC. We reserve the right to edit all work. Day at the Capitol attendees successfully visited all 120 legislators this year. 2 Cal-IPC News Spring 2012 Wildland Weed NewsNewsNewsNewsNews Even Antarctica is not safe from invasive Screening horticultural plants for their from an invasive toad. Cane toads are plants. A recent article in the Proceedings potential invasiveness may become even an ecological nightmare in Australia, of the National Academy of Sciences more important as climate change drives where they were introduced to control says that ecotourists and scientists have consumers towards purchasing more beetles. Instead, they poison native accidentally transported seeds and other drought-tolerant species. A team of re- Australian species that eat toads, including material from thousands of plant species searchers believes that more horticultural the bluetongue lizard. Meanwhile, the to the bottom of the world. Warming species will be imported to the U.S. invasive plant mother-of-millions, also temperatures increase the possibility from warmer regions such as the Middle eaten by bluetongues, produces a toxin that these plants will be able to establish East and Africa. The researchers recom- similar to the toads’. Bluetongue popula- populations. During the 2007-08 summer mend that the USDA quickly adopt the tions in areas with mother-of-millions season, about 33,000 tourists and 7,000 nursery stock screening procedures that infestations have evolved to tolerate the scientists (including support person- have already been proposed. (Frontiers toxin. These populations are not in the nel) landed in Antarctica, bringing an in Ecology and Environment 10: 20–28) same areas as cane toads, but experiments estimated 70,000 seeds on their clothing www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-ecologists- showed that these lizards can also tolerate and other possessions. (Los Angeles Times, screening-imported-invasive-species.html cane toad toxins. Researchers say it’s a March 6, 2012), www.latimes.com/ In a strange example of interspecies hopeful sign that bluetongues can adapt news/science/la-sci-antarctica-invasive- interactions, an invasive plant in to the presence of cane toads. (American plants-20120306,0,4163406.story Australia appears to protect lizards Naturalist, March 2012). www.eurekalert.org Cal-IPC Updates proposed that a defi nition of invasive through July 1. Terms are two species be added to the Public Resources years, beginning Jan. 1, 2013. The New BMP Manual released code to enable stronger programs within board meets four times each year Please see page 5 for a rundown the Natural Resources Agency. throughout the state, and requires a on Preventing the Spread of Invasive Staff changes commitment to fundraising, working Plants: Best Management Practices for on a committee, and organizing the Transportation and Utility Corridors. With the end of our ARRA grant, we bid farewell to Training Program Manager Symposium. Direct nominations and Day at the Capitol Jen Stern, Training Specialist Arpita Sinha questions to [email protected]. Forty natural resource managers and Mapping Specialist Tony Morosco. We Call for student liasion nominations visited Sacramento on March appreciate all their contributions during The student chapter is accepting 14 to advocate for invasive plant their time at Cal-IPC, and wish them well nominations for liaisons to the management funding and legislation. in future endeavors! Cal-IPC board. Liaisons attend board AB 1251 will provide authority to meetings in their part of the state and control South American spongeplant Call for board nominations Cal-IPC’s Board of Directors is accepting help Cal-IPC serve students. Send in the Delta. Cal-IPC board members nominations to [email protected]. visited agency executives, and nominations for new board members Help Cal-IPC Find a New Kind of Although Cal-IPC is quite successful negative effects of invasive plants. Board Member at obtaining government and foundation This summer the board will be grants, these grants typically only fund Julie Horenstein working with a consultant on our brand- specifi c projects, and Cal-IPC struggles