Invasive Plant Guide

A government report on invasive species’ impacts on threatened and endangered species finds that the topic has not been well researched in most cases.  As I’ve been looking for reports on invasive plant impacts to threatened and endangered species in Maryland I’m inclined to agree!

Find the full report at: http://www.cabi.org/Uploads/isc/Systematic%20Review.pdf

What is the evidence that invasive species are a significant contributor to the decline or loss of threatened species?  Philip D. Roberts, Hilda Diaz-Soltero, David J. Hemming, Martin J. Parr, Richard H. Shaw, Nicola Wakefield, Holly J. Wright, and Arne B.R. Witt

Utah State University Extension has a nice publication summarizing the forage value of a number of noxious weeds and a summary of toxicity reports of many of the plants at the end.  The report was written by Beth Burritt and Rae Ann Hart and published in May, 2014.  There’s a lot of research that still needs to be done on these plants, but it could be a good first guideline if you are interested in using grazing animals to control invasive plants.

Towson University researchers in Maryland want your help tracking the spread of wavyleaf basketgrass.  Get more information and download their app at http://heron.towson.edu/wavyleaf/home/

Ottawa County parks in Michigan got their first goat herd to do some invasive plant clearing, http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2014/05/goats_already_hard_at_work_in.html.

Use of goats (or other livestock) for controlling invasive plants isn’t a new technique, but it has been regaining popularity. My dad and co-author used a pair of goats to clear honeysuckle and blackberries along our driveway in North Carolina back in the early ’70s.  The goats eventually became the source for several strong tasting, stringy dinners.  It may have been better to let them continue munching honeysuckle!