Lygodium Management Plan for Florida Edited by Amy Ferriter A Report from the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council's Lygodium Task Force 2001 First Edition The Lygodium Management Plan was developed to provide information and make recommendations for the integrated management of Lygodium in Florida. This is the first edition of the Lygodium Management Plan for Florida. It will be updated periodically to reflect changes in management philosophies and operational advancements. Mention of a trade name or proprietary product does not constitute a guarantee and warranty of the product by the Lygodium Task Force or the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. There is no express or implied warranty as to the fitness of any product discussed. Any product trade names that are listed are for the benefit of the reader and the list may not contain all products available due to changes in the market. "Nature made a fern for pure leaves." - Thoreau Lygodium Task Force Members Amy Ferriter (Co-Chair) George Gann South Florida Water Management District Institute for Regional Conservation 3301 Gun Club Road 22601 SW 152 Ave. West Palm Beach, FL Miami, FL 33170 (561) 682-6097 [email protected] [email protected] Jim Goodwin Tom Fucigna (Co-Chair) South Florida Water Management District Williams, Hatfield & Stoner, Inc. Ft. Myers Service Center 1901 South Congress Avenue, Suite 150 [email protected] Boynton Beach, FL 33426-6549 [email protected] Bobby Hattaway DEP/DRP/District 4 Administration Dan Austin 1843 S. Tamiami Trail Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Osprey , FL 34229 2021 N. Kinney Road [email protected] Tucson, AZ 85743 [email protected] Matt King Palm Beach County Mike Bodle Environmental Resources Management South Florida Water Management District [email protected] 3301 Gun Club Rd. West Palm Beach, FL 33416 Kraig Krum [email protected] Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management Cindy B. Brasher [email protected] Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 10088 NW 53rd Street Ken Langeland Sunrise, FL 33351 University of Florida/IFAS [email protected] 7922 NW 71st Street Gainesville, FL 32606 Jim Brewer [email protected] Brewer International PO Box 6006 Chris Lockhart Vero Beach, FL 32961 5421 Rose Marie Ave., N. [email protected] Boynton Beach, FL 33437 [email protected] Kathy Burks Florida Department of Environmental Protection Ray Miller 3915 Commonwealth Blvd. MS 710 South Florida Water Management District Tallahassee, FL 32399 3301 Gun Club Rd. [email protected] West Palm Beach, FL 33416 [email protected] Debbie Butts Resource Management Brain Nelson 10940 McMullen Rd., Southwest Florida Water Management District Riverview, FL 33569-6226 2379 Broad Street [email protected] Brooksville, FL 34609 [email protected] Lygodium Management Plan for Florida Bo O'Neal Christine Sutter 1721 Village Blvd. #205 Suwannee River Water Management District West Palm Beach, Florida 33409 Route 3, Box 64 [email protected] Live Oak, FL 32060 [email protected] Bob Pemberton USDA/ARS Dan Thayer 3205 College Ave. South Florida Water Management District Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314 3301 Gun Club Road [email protected] West Palm Beach, FL 33416 [email protected] Tony Pernas National Park Service Bill Thomas PO Box 279 USFWS Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Homestead, FL 33030 Route 1, Box 278 [email protected] Boynton Beach, FL 33437 [email protected] Tony Richards Southwest Florida Water Management District John Valenta 2379 Broad Street Northwest Florida Water Management District Brooksville, FL 34609 Route 1, Box 3100 [email protected] Havana, FL 32333 [email protected] Dick Roberts, Biologist Florida Park Service John Volin District 5 Administration Florida Atlantic University 13798 S.E. Federal Highway 2912 College Ave. Hobe Sound, FL 33455 Davie, FL 33314 [email protected] Michael Rock Florida Power and Light Mark Zeller P.O. Box 176 Florida Department of Environmental Protection Indiantown, FL. 34956 3915 Commonwealth Blvd. MS 710 [email protected] Tallahassee, FL 32399 [email protected] Jackie Smith DEP 3111-B13 Fortune Way Wellington, FL 33414 [email protected] Lygodium Management Plan for Florida Lygodium Management Plan for Florida CONTENTS I. Introduction. 1 Lygodium Task Force II. Problem Statement . 1 Lygodium Task Force III. Goal . 2 Lygodium Task Force IV. Objectives . 2 Lygodium Task Force V Recommendations . 2 Lygodium Task Force VI. Technical Background A. Biology of Lygodium. 3 Bob Pemberton and John Volin B. Distributions, Ecologies and Economic Impacts 1. Native Range a. Native Range Distribution . 5 Bob Pemberton and Amy Ferriter b. Native Range Ecology . 6 Bob Pemberton, John Volin and Kathy Burks c. Economic Uses in Native Range . 6 Mike Bodle 2. Florida a. Florida Distribution . 6 Amy Ferriter and Kathy Burks b. Florida Ecology . 8 Bob Pemberton, John Volin and Kathy Burks c. Economic Uses and Impacts in North America . 10 George Gann and Amy Ferriter C. Proposed and Enacted Laws Tom Fucigna and Matt King 1. Federal . 11 2. State. 11 3. Local Governments . 11 4. FLEPPC . 11 Lygodium Management Plan for Florida D. Management Techniques 1. Biological Control . 12 Bob Pemberton, John Godsby and Tony Wright 2. Herbicidal Control Technology Research . 16 a. Lygodium microphyllum. 16 Ken Langeland b. Lygodium japonicum. 18 John Valenta, Mark Zeller and Ken Langeland 3. Monitoring . 22 Ken Langeland 4. Physical Removal. 23 Ken Langeland 5. Fire . 23 Ken Langeland 6. Flooding . 23 Ken Langeland VII. Resource Management Approach . 24 Ray Miller, Dan Thayer and Jim Goodwin VIII. Case Studies A. A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge . 29 Marian Bailey B. Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed . 30 Jim Goodwin C. Jonathan Dickinson State Park . 32 Dick Roberts D. DuPuis Wildlife and Environmental Area. 34 Jim Goodwin E. FPL Barley Barber Swamp . 36 Michael Rock F. Suwanee River Water Management District . 36 Christine Sutter G. Northwest Florida Water Management District. 38 John Valenta H. Florida Caverns State Park . 41 Mark Ludlow IX. Summary . 42 X. Literature Cited . 43 Appendix . 49 Lygodium Management Plan for Florida consensus opinion of the LTF that the I. Introduction uncontrolled expansion of Lygodium constitutes one of the most serious ecological threats to the In 1984, concerned resource managers biological integrity of Florida’s natural systems. organized the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) to unify and exchange information between land management agencies, research scientists, private industry, and other interested II. Problem Statement groups concerned with the impacts of exotic There are two species of exotic Lygodium plants in the State's natural areas. The initial naturalized in Florida. Old World climbing fern focus of FLEPPC was the uncontrolled expansion (L. microphyllum) is native to wet tropical and of melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia) in the subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, Australia and Everglades. Much of the progress made in the Pacific. It has become a serious weed in controlling this species in South Florida stems south Florida, where it is increasing in density from coordination provided by the Council. A and range. Japanese climbing fern (L. successful effort led by FLEPPC resulted in the japonicum) is native to temperate and tropical listing of melaleuca as a Federal Noxious Weed Asia. It occurs from eastern Texas through the by the USDA; FLEPPC petitioned the USDA to southern states to North Carolina and Florida. begin research on the use of biological control Previous experience with other invasive exotic agents to control melaleuca; and perhaps most plants such as melaleuca has shown that after an importantly, FLEPPC led the charge in developing "establishment phase," expansion is often a Statewide management plan for melaleuca. exponential. Lygodium has successfully In 1990, the FLEPPC and the South Florida established in Florida and resource managers and Water Management District convened a task force private landowners statewide are reporting these of Federal, State, and local land managers and plants on private and public lands in increasing scientists. The goal of this “Melaleuca Task frequency and magnitude. Force” was to develop a comprehensive plan for Lygodium invades many habitats in Florida, managing melaleuca. The Melaleuca Management growing over trees and shrubs, smothering Plan for Florida (1990) was a first in the field of whole plant communities. It is difficult for exotic plant management in the State. It serves other plants to grow though the thick fern as a framework for facilitating interagency mats. L. microphyllum is common in cypress cooperation and coordination of control efforts, stands, but also infests pine flatwoods, wet improving resource sharing, enhancing public prairies, sawgrass marshes, mangrove communities awareness, and has inspired legislative support. and Everglades tree islands. L. japonicum grows in By bringing agencies and organizations floodplains, marshes, secondary woods and together, FLEPPC provided an unparalleled forum pinelands. There is evidence that these plants for the development of this species-based also threaten the citrus and timber industries. management plan. Based on the success Infestations of Lygodium alter fire behavior, achieved through the Melaleuca Management which is a naturally occurring element and Plan, FLEPPC formed a Lygodium Task Force (LTF) management tool in many of Florida’s plant in 1999 and charged it to draft a Lygodium communities. Thick "skirts" of old fronds enclose Management Plan for Florida. trees and serve as ladders to carry fire into tree The Lygodium Management Plan compiles canopies. Trees that can normally survive ground known information and provides fires are killed when flames are brought into the recommendations for the integrated control of canopy. Fires that would normally terminate at Lygodium in Florida. The LTF is an interagency the margins of cypress sloughs now burn into and group of professionals who have direct through areas infested with Lygodium.