Northwest Illinois Invasive Species Strike Team 2013 Annual Report Northwest Illinois Invasive Species Strike Team 2013 Annual Report Prepared by: David Crady and Paul Bane Invasive Species Strike Team This program was funded through: A grant though the USDA Forest Service Northeast Area State and Private Forestry, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation. 2 Acknowledgements This program was funded through a grant through the USDA Forest Service Northeast Area State and Private Forestry, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation. Contributions to this report were provided by: Paul Bane and David Crady, Invasive Species Strike Team; Dan Kirk, Natural Heritage Division, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Maggie Cole, Natural Heritage Division, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Jeff Horn, Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation; Jim Johannsen, Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation. Special thanks is given to: Karen Tharp, The Nature Conservancy; Bruce Henry, Southern Illinois Invasive Species Strike Team; Kevin Rohling, Natural Land Institute Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S.D.A Forest Service and other agencies is available to all individuals regardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the funding source’s civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL. 62702-1271; 217/782-2262; TTY 217/782-9175. 3 Executive Summary Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, in partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the USDA Forest Service developed the Northwest Illinois Invasive Species Strike Team (NWST) to control exotic plants in state parks, state nature preserves, Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation preserves, and adjacent private lands that serve as pathways onto these properties. This Strike Team is modeled after the very successful Southern Illinois Invasive Species Strike Team, which was conducted in a partnership between the USDA Forest Service, Illinois DNR, The Nature Conservancy, and the River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area from 2008 to 2011. Both the Southern Illinois Strike Team and the NWST are modeled after the National Park Service Exotic Plant Management Team Program, and deploys a trained, mobile force of two restoration specialists who assist parks and preserves in controlling invasive, exotic plants. This report details activities from the program’s commencement through November 13, 2013. This program focuses on detection and removal of invasive plant species and populations which pose the greatest threat to the ecological integrity of the natural areas in the northwest Illinois region. The NWST has primary responsibility for species identification, containment, eradication, and monitoring. The Strike Team serves six counties in northwest Illinois and works under the direction of Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources approved management schedules, Integrated Weed Management Plans, and work plans for state parks and preserves. Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation works with Illinois Department of Natural Resources biologists to determine priorities for the Strike Team. Priorities are based on the Japanese hops (Humulus japonicus) overtaking trees on the Apple River at Eagle’s Nest Land and Water Reserve following factors: severity of threat to high- quality natural areas and rare species; extent of targeted infestation; probability of successful control and potential for restoration; opportunities for public involvement; and commitment to follow-up monitoring and treatment. Once risk has been identified, the Strike Team also serves as a Rapid Response Team. 4 Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................ 7 Program Accomplishments ......................................................... 8 Surveying and Monitoring .......................................................... 8 Treatment Methods and Prevention .......................................... 8 Chemical Treatments .................................................................. 9 Mechanical Methods .................................................................. 9 Prescribed Burning ................................................................... 10 Cooperation and Collaboration ................................................ 10 Early Detection and Rapid Response ........................................ 12 Safety ........................................................................................ 13 Northwest Illinois Invasive Species Strike Team County Map .. 14 Natural Areas Apple River Canyon State Park ................................................. 15 Buehler Preserve ...................................................................... 20 Casper Bluff Land & Water Reserve .......................................... 23 Castle Rock State Park .............................................................. 26 Eagles Nest Land & Water Reserve ........................................... 28 Gateway Park ............................................................................ 31 Hanover Bluff Nature Preserve ................................................. 34 Horseshoe Mound Preserve ..................................................... 37 5 Keough Effigy Mound Land & Water Reserve........................... 39 Lowden Miller State Forest....................................................... 42 Mississippi Palisades State Park ................................................ 44 Portage Property ...................................................................... 47 Schurmeier Teaching Forest ..................................................... 50 Sentinel Nature Preserve .......................................................... 53 Wapello Land & Water Reserve ................................................ 56 Appendices Appendix A: Time Allocation .................................................... 59 Appendix B: New Invasive Species in Northwest Illinois ........... 60 Appendix C: Acres Treated Per Species .................................... 63 Appendix D: Time Allocation Per Site ....................................... 64 Appendix E: Standard Operating Procedures ........................... 65 6 This report reflects the first year of the NWST Introduction treatments and assessments. From February 2013 through November 13, 2013, the NWST Invasive species cost the United States more completed treatments in 20 management sites than $120 billion in damages every year throughout Northwest Illinois. (Pimental et al. 2005). Invasive species do not The natural areas, as well as the techniques have natural enemies in the areas they are used to control the exotic invasive species in invading, which allows them to spread rapidly the area were recorded using the “STRIKE” through landscapes. This rapid spread causes program developed by Jeff Horn of the Jo damages to native flora and fauna by Daviess Conservation Foundation. The NWST diminishing biodiversity, altering soil chemistry, was able to record areas and methods on limiting water to native species, and choking handheld devices in the field. This information out native species. Enormous damages occur to allows the invasive species to be monitored on agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and outdoor a year to year basis, and helps evaluate recreation. treatment method successfulness. With funding from the USDA Forest Service and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources The goals of the NWST include: managing (IDNR), and in cooperation with Jo Daviess existing exotic invasive species populations, Conservation Foundation (JDCF) and US Fish preventing the spread of exotic species to and Wildlife Service (USFWS) a two-person natural areas, and re-establish native plant Strike Team was formed to work year-round on communities to restore beneficial ecosystem controlling and monitoring invasive plant values. species in Northwest Illinois. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) helped initiate the setup of this team. In February of 2013 the northwest Illinois Strike Team (NWST) began controlling and monitoring of invasive plant species in nature preserves, natural areas, and areas adjacent to natural areas in six northwest Illinois counties. The NWST used mechanical methods, prescribed fire, and herbicide application to suppress established weed populations and prevent future populations from establishing. The NWST prevents further spread of invasive weed populations into natural areas by responding early to new infestations, controlling pathways, and mitigating seed dispersal. Pharos 585 handheld PDA used to record data in the field Program Accomplishments By implementing several different methods of The NWST plays important roles in managing treatment the NWST was able to treat over 650 exotic invasive species in Northwest Illinois’ acres of natural lands in northwest Illinois. A natural areas including: survey and monitoring, majority of treatment sites were revisited prevention, and treatment. multiple times to manage against resprouts of previous treatments and to continually monitor Chemically Treated: 360.92 acres and assess treatment areas. Treatment Mechanically Treated: 148.84 acres activities