|
Exotic Plant Removal:
 Exotic plants are those not
native to the area. During the 19th Century, people ordered a wide
variety of new plants for their gardens which then spread to the surrounding
countryside. Others hitchhiked in as regional and global trade became
more widespread. A few, such as kudzu vine, were well-meaning
experiments gone awry.
In
a healthy ecosystem, the delicate balance of producers and consumers has been
worked out slowly over time. Exotic plants often spread out of control
in a new environment. They crowd out native plants, reduce the
biological distinctiveness of an area, and--in the case of duckweed or musk
thistle--may present hazards to people and their activities. An area
twice the size of Delaware is lost to invasive plants each year in the United
States. Invasive species of all types, including animals, are estimated
to cost $137 billion annually in losses to agriculture, forestry, fisheries,
and the maintenance of open waterways in the United States.
 Common exotic plants at the
Ellington Campus include bush honeysuckle (see above) and Chinese privet (see
right) which are mainly responsible for closing up what should be open
woodland vistas. Dense mats of multiflora rose have already become less
common but will require considerable effort over an extensive period to
eradicate. Other common exotics slated for intensive management include
mimosa, Queen Anne's Lace, musk thistle and Asiatic dayflower.
 In the Sevenmile Creek area,
Chinese privet and bush honeysuckle formed an almost impenetrable mat along
both sides of the habitat trail. People who are unfamiliar with the normal
appearance of woodlands might think it gave the area a lush, green
look. In actual fact it was smothering the forest floor. This
photograph of a mature hardwood forest (see left) shows clearly that a forest
floor is just that...a floor. Certainly it is not a manicured
monoculture of grass like a suburban lawn, but it is also open and inviting,
permitting sweeping views of the surrounding landscape.
Removing
exotic and invasive plant pests may be hard work, but it is definitely
worthwhile. Follow these eight guidelines consistently for best
results:
- Learn the invasive plants common
in your region
- Identify the invasive species on
your property
- Resolve not to bring additional
invasive plants into your outdoor space
- Determine what could fill the space
now occupied by invasive species
- Choose a method for removal that
is effective and within your resources
- Select a manageable plot size to
tackle and keep at it
- Repeat the removal process as
necessary
- Be vigilant in keeping the old
pests--or new ones--from cropping up
We
handle Chinese Privet and Bush Honeysuckle by cutting them even with the
ground during the early Fall sap drop or in the dead of winter, then painting
the stump with Roundup or an equivalent per label instructions. Plant
debris is disposed of so seeds will not be spread to other sites.
Grateful
acknowledgment goes to the National Audubon
Society for use of some of the materials in this section.
Encouraging Native Plants:
 The Ellington Campus is home to
a number of native plants ranging from tiny bluets to huge American
pokeweed. The best place to see wildflowers en masse is at ten acre
meadow. Tall, yellow wingstem (top picture) is the dominant flower,
with close runners up purple ironweed (bottom picture) and white common
yarrow.
Some
of the more interesting plants require more patience or closer examination to
find. People are often surprised to see how showy and interesting some
of the tiny blossoms are. Even "heads" of clover are
collections of orchid-like trumpets. Blue mistflower is one plant that
deserves a closer look, and mock strawberry adds some flecks of crimson to
the ground cover though their fruits are not edible.
 Our approach to native plant
restoration at Ellington involves three things: removal of invasive exotic
plants that crowd out natives, reducing mowed acreage, and reintroducing some
of the more interesting lost species.
Please
help us restore their habitat by staying on the trail system and not removing
plants. Also use caution when handling plants you can not
identify. Some may cause a rash, others harbor large numbers of
chiggers or attract stinging insects that may become aggressive when
disturbed.
|
