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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWilkinson 4.24.2018 WILKINSON ECOLOGICAL DESIGN 28 Lots Hollow Road I Orleans,MA 02653 Tel:(508)255-1113 I Fax:(508)255-9477 Work Protocols for Invasive Plant Management and Native Plant Restoration 66 A River Street,Yarmouth March 8,2018 revised April 24,2018 SCHEDULE AND ACCESS Initial plant management is proposed to commence in the spring of 2018.To protect the coastal bank from erosion, vegetation removal and management will be conducted by hand. Access to the project area will occur from the northwest of the existing building. INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT AND EROSION CONTROL Vegetation in the project area consists of native beach grass and an adjacent dense stand of rosa rugosa,which is entangled by invasive Japanese honeysuckle and Asiatic bittersweet.These plant species are defined as invasive by the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group(MIPAG).The invasive plant management will focus on the eradication of the Japanese honeysuckle and Asiatic bittersweet while conserving most of the existing rosa rugosa. For effective management of the targeted species,the rosa rugosa will be cut to a height of three to four inches during the late summer/early fall.This will provide accessibility for the selective treatment of the targeted invasive species with a low-volume herbicide application to treat individual stems,such as the"cut and wipe" method.The rosa rugosa stand will then be allowed to regrow. A three to five foot strip of rosa rugosa along the landward edge of the existing stand of rosa rugosa,is proposed to be treated and replaced with native beach grass.This will protect the approved mitigation buffer planting by provide a buffer between the rosa rugosa,which has the ability to spread aggressively,and the native shrubs,forbs,and grasses specified on the Restoration Plan. Biodegradable erosion control blanketing will be installed for enhanced stability in the project area if needed. All herbicide applications will be performed by Massachusetts licensed applicators.The Invasive Plant Management Protocols on page two of this document include species-specific information on the environmental effects of the targeted non-native and invasive species and management strategies of the species. NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION Native plant restoration recommendations are based on a number of environmental factors including soils, topography,solar exposure,salt tolerance,and existing plant communities.The recommended species consider the long term health of the resource area,with special consideration on longterm stabilization of the bank and restoration of the native plant communities appropriate to the site. American beachgrass(culms or plugs), native shrub,forb,and grass species will be planted as specified on the Restoration Plan by Wilkinson Ecological Design to enhance native plant biodiversity in the site.The shrub and grass species specified provide stability to soils in the project area. Native shrubs like sweet pepperbush,and Virginia rose develop extensive root systems that in combination with the thick fibrous root systems of American beachgrass aids in the long term binding and retention of sediments preserving the coastal habitat. V/ ONGOING MAINTENANCE Active and ongoing maintenance shall primarily consist of follow up treatments of yearly cutting in the fall of the rosa rugosa to three to four inches in height to ensure successful management of invasive plant species. Rosa rugosa will be allowed to regrow. Native plants will be assessed to ensure that they are in good health and establishing on the coastal bank. INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS Invasive Plant Management Protocols are designed to maximize the effectiveness of treatments and minimize disturbance to natural resources through selective herbicide application and/or mechanical methods.Appropriately timed treatments are based on individual plant life cycles,growing seasons,and levels of infestation. Cutting of plants is scheduled when carbohydrates have been transferred from the roots to the above-ground portion of the plant,thus causing the most damage to the target plant by eliminating carbohydrate stores,which weakens the plant over time. A program of selective herbicide application will be instituted during time periods when the plants will translocate the herbicide most efficiently to destroy root materials. As the carbohydrate transfer is dictated primarily by weather,the management timeline is specified by season only,necessitating field expertise to initiate timely management procedures. Invasive plant classification and management is guided by the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group(MIPAG). INVASIVE SPECIES PROTOCOLS Asiatic Bittersweet(Celastrus orbiculatus)poses a great threat to the preservation of native plant communities.Asiatic bittersweet has been officially classified as an invasive plant in Massachusetts because it has the ability to overwhelm open fields and forests alike,forming dense stands of the aggressive vine.Asiatic bittersweet is treated by hand cutting stems and immediately wiping the stem with an ultra-low volume treatment of Triclopyr-based herbicide.A low volume foliar spray or a basal bark treatment is also very effective.(MIPAG Listed Invasive). Japanese Honeysuckle(Lonicera japonica)is currently scattered throughout the ground layer and understory.Taking advantage of its persistent leaves during fall/winter months,control should consist of a late fall/winter application of Glyphosate-based herbicide to eradicate this weed from the plant community.Vine honeysuckle is opportunistic and will colonize managed areas if it is left untreated.(MIPAG Listed Invasive). Rugosa Rose(Rosa rugosa)is a non-native species that aggressively outcompetes native plants in beach,dune,and other coastal habitats and forms impenetrable thickets,displacing native plant species. In Massachussetts,rugosa rose was widely planted due to its large showy flowers,salt tolerance,and perception as an effective erosion control plant.Rugosa rose has been found to be less effective than native coastal plants at preventing erosion,as its prolific growth habit tends to shades out more effective erosion control plants.Rugosa rose should be mechanically uprooted if conditions allow;where this is not possible,a cut and wipe or low-volume foliar treatment with a Triclopyr-based herbicide should be used. Regular hand pulling of juvenile plants and spot herbicide treatments are also recommended for persistent re-sprouts. DEFINITIONS Native plants: A native(indigenous)species is one that occurs in a particular region,ecosystem,and habitat without direct or indirect human actions.Native plants suited for our coastal areas bind sediments with their fibrous roots.Grasses and forbs create a groundcover that not only stabilize sediments, but improve the quality of wildlife habitat and slow water runoff. Many invasive plants lack fibrous root systems and often have allelopathic chemicals which inhibit the growth of surrounding vegetation,thus creating areas of bare earth which lead to faster rates of erosion,decreased wildlife habitat quality,and increased storm water runoff.The loss of native vegetation to invasive plant species degrades our wetlands and public interests(as stated below)and decreases the diversity of our biological community. Invasive Plants: As defined by the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group,invasive plants are non-native species that have spread into native plant systems,causing economic or environmental harm by developing self-sustaining populations and dominating and/ or disrupting those native systems. Invasive plant's biology and physiology equip them with the means to out-compete native plants,disrupting native plant communities and compromising the integrity of that ecosystem. Invasive plant species can alter hydrological patterns,soil chemistry,moisture holding capacity,and can accelerate erosion. 2