Southern Illinois Invasive Species Strike Team 2011 Annual Report Southern Illinois Invasive Species Strike Team 2011 Annual Report Prepared by Bruce Henry and Kevin Rohling Invasive Species Strike Team This program was funded through: A grant supported by the USDA Forest Service Northeast Area State and Private Forestry, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, and the River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area - 1 - | P a g e Acknowledgements This program was funded through a grant supported by the USDA Forest Service Northeast Area State and Private Forestry, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, and the River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area Contributions to this report were provided by: Kevin Rohling and Bruce Henry, Invasive Species Strike Team; Chris Evans, River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area; Jody Shimp, Natural Heritage Division, Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Karen Tharp, The Nature Conservancy 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. - 2 - | P a g e Executive Summary The Nature Conservancy, in partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the USDA Forest Service Northeast Area State and Private Forestry Program developed the Southern Illinois Invasive Species Strike Team (ISST) “formally known as the Southern Illinois Exotic Plant Strike Team” to control exotic plants in state parks, state nature preserves and adjacent private lands that serve as pathways onto these properties. This Strike Team is modeled after the very successful National Park Service Exotic Plant Management Team Program, and deploys a trained, mobile force of two plant management specialists who assist parks and preserves in controlling invasive, exotic plants. This report covers the results from the third year of the Strike Team program which was initiated in 2008-09. 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 southern Illinois region. The Southern Illinois ISST has primary responsibility for species identification, containment, eradication, and monitoring. The Strike Team served 11 counties in southern Illinois and works under the direction of The Nature Conservancy and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources approved management schedules, Integrated Weed Management Plans, and work plans for state parks and preserves. The Nature Conservancy works with Illinois Department of Natural Resources biologists and the River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area Coordinator to determine priorities for the Strike Team. Priorities are based on the 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. Since our report last year, the strike team has made significant progress toward protecting our natural areas in southern Illinois from the threat of invasive species. Constantly changing, the program experienced some considerable improvements this year. A few upgrades to the program included: innovative and more efficient treatment methods, collection of detailed phenology information and herbarium specimens to spur additional research and knowledge of the target species, equipment and software upgrades, constant review and adjustment of the sites and species and the early development of a website that promises over the next year to improve communication and allow the program to expand in the future. From October 2010 to September 2011, the Invasive Species Strike Team surveyed and treated a total of 1,659 acres of invasive plants, including 25 different non-native, invasive plant species in 32 natural areas. This is an increase of 14 new species, more than doubling the amount of species treated since last year. Comprehensive time and treatment records were taken by the Strike Team and were used to refine the teams operations and assess treatment success. Treating exotics was the focal point of the Strike Team comprising 52 percent of their time. Due to several efficiencies in the program this year, the Strike Team also increased the amount of chemical treatments totaling 1,262 acres in 2011, compared to 211 acres in 2009 and 793 acres in 2010. - 3 - | P a g e Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 6 Program Accomplishments ......................................................................................................... 7 Research .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Surveying and Monitoring .......................................................................................................... 8 Treatment and Prevention ........................................................................................................... 8 Cooperation and Collaboration ................................................................................................ 10 Safety ............................................................................................................................................. 12 Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) ................................................................................ 12 Invasive Species Strike Team Location Map ........................................................................... 14 Natural Areas Berryville Shale Glade Nature Preserve ....................................................................... 15 Brown Barrens Nature Preserve .................................................................................... 17 Cache River State Natural Area ..................................................................................... 19 Cave Creek Glade Nature Preserve ...................................................................................... 21 Cave in Rock State Park ........................................................................................................... 23 Cedar Draper Bluff Land and Water Reserve ................................................................... 25 Chestnut Hills Nature Preserve ............................................................................................. 29 Cretaceous Hills Nature Preserve ......................................................................................... 31 Cypress Pond State Natural Area ......................................................................................... 33 Dixon Springs State Park ......................................................................................................... 35 Fern Rocks Nature Preserve ........................................................................................... 37 Ferne Clyffe State Park ............................................................................................................. 39 Giant City State Park ....................................................................................................... 41 Gibbons Creek Barrens State Natural Area ........................................................................ 43 Grassy Slough Land and Water Reserve ............................................................................. 45 Hayes Creek Canyon Horse Campground ........................................................................ 47 Heron Pond-Little Black Slough Nature Preserve ........................................................... 49 Horseshoe Lake Nature Preserve .......................................................................................... 51 Kinkaid Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area ........................................................................ 53 Lake Murphysboro State Park ................................................................................................ 55 Lusk Creek Canyon Nature Preserve................................................................................... 57 - 4 - | P a g e Table of Contents (continued) Natural Areas (continued) Lusk Creek Sanctuary ..................................................................................................... 59 Massac Forest Nature Preserve .............................................................................................. 61 Mermet Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area ........................................................................ 63 Ozark Hills Nature Preserve .......................................................................................... 65 Rauchfuss Hill State Recreation Area .................................................................................. 67 Round Bluff Nature Preserve