Sandy River Riparian Habitat Protection Project Report 2000-2003 The Nature Conservancy, Oregon Field Office Jonathan Soll - Project Manager Doug Kreuzer – Ecological Monitoring Coordinator Brian Lipinski – Outreach, Education, and Volunteer Coordinator Kyle Strauss – Field and River Access Coordinator January 2004 Sandy River Riparian Habitat Protection Project Report 2000-2003 Addendum regarding stem injection of herbicides For the control of Japanese and giant knotweed The stem injection method treatments described in this report were conducted by The Nature Conservancy and Metro Parks and Greenspaces as part of an experiment through an Experimental Use Permit granted by the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and as such we cautioned that the use of stem injection without a special permit was illegal. As of January 30, 2004 however, the Oregon Department of Agriculture received the supplemental label for use of the Monsanto product Aquamaster (53.8% glyphosate; 46.2% water) to control Japanese and giant knotweed by stem injection method. The label reflected the changes requested by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The use of Aquamaster as per the supplemental label directions is approved for use in Oregon. For practitioners in the Pacific Northwest: the Monsanto representative in Vancouver, Washington, Ron Crockett, can be contacted at telephone (360) 892-9884. He, his company or distributors should have the supplemental labels available with all the use directions. We expect a similar approval by EPA for Rodeo (Dow Agrosciences version of the same product) in the near future. Contact the Oregon Department of Agriculture with any questions. Please note that this decision does not affect the legality of this method in any other state. However, because the EPA decision is a federal one, it is likely that the supplemental label will be approved in most states if a manufacturer requests it. Contents Figures ........................................................................................................................................... iii Tables............................................................................................................................................. iii Appendices .................................................................................................................................... iv Section 1. Introduction, Project Description and Sandy River Physical Geography............. 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 5 Why work on invasive species is a critically important component of effective watershed management, protection and restoration.................................................................................. 7 Why knotweed is a threat to riparian ecosystems.................................................................... 8 Project and Report Description ................................................................................................... 8 Funding and Project Administration ........................................................................................... 9 Report Structure ........................................................................................................................ 10 Why TNC leadership? ........................................................................................................... 10 Field work.............................................................................................................................. 10 Outreach ................................................................................................................................10 Education............................................................................................................................... 10 Volunteerism / Youth Crews................................................................................................. 11 Project Products..................................................................................................................... 11 Sandy River Geography ............................................................................................................ 12 Topography and Geomorphology.............................................................................................. 13 Section 2. Knotweed Introduction............................................................................................. 16 Description ................................................................................................................................16 Basic Knotweed Ecology .......................................................................................................... 16 Section 3. Project Methods ........................................................................................................ 21 Project Structure........................................................................................................................ 21 Initial Approach: 2000 and earlier......................................................................................... 21 2001....................................................................................................................................... 21 2002....................................................................................................................................... 21 2003....................................................................................................................................... 22 Inventory, Control, and Monitoring .......................................................................................... 22 Japanese Knotweed ................................................................................................................... 22 Survey.................................................................................................................................... 22 Summary of Sandy River Knotweed Project by Field Season .................................................. 23 2001....................................................................................................................................... 23 2002....................................................................................................................................... 23 2003....................................................................................................................................... 24 Treatment................................................................................................................................... 24 Monitoring and Some Terminology .......................................................................................... 25 Scots broom............................................................................................................................... 26 Treatments............................................................................................................................. 26 Monitoring............................................................................................................................. 26 Himalayan blackberry ............................................................................................................... 26 Section 4. Project Results........................................................................................................... 27 Summary Knotweed Treatment 2001-2003 .............................................................................. 27 Status of Knotweed in Sandy River Watershed 2003................................................................ 29 Monitoring Results for Sandy River Gorge Sites (river miles 6-19)......................................... 29 Knotweed Monitoring Results for Sandy River Sites established in Spring 2002.................... 35 Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 36 i Field Results for Scots Broom Removal ................................................................................... 37 Example Site: Cornwell Meadow.............................................................................................. 38 Photo-Monitoring .................................................................................................................. 39 Section 5. 17 Treatment Method Knotweed Control Experiment: Summary ...................... 42 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 42 Methods..................................................................................................................................... 42 Results ....................................................................................................................................... 44 Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 44 Section 6. Stem Injection Experiment: Summary ................................................................... 47 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 47 Methods....................................................................................................................................