Photo: Oriental Bittersweet Takes Over Hill
Seasons The Greening of Maplewood
A New Era For Invasive Species
By Ginny Gaynor, Natural Resource Coordinator The stories of invasive species are the stuff of legend – 20 foot long Burmese pythons in the everglades, four pound cane toads in Australia, kudzu “the vine that ate the south” in southeastern United States. In Minnesota, we have our own regional cast of invasive species – buckthorn, Asian carp, zebra mussels, garlic mustard, and new arrivals like emerald ash borer. Invasive species are plants, animals, or pathogens that are not native to an area, spread rapidly, and cause significant economic or ecological damage. Arriving here without predators and competitors from their homeland, invasives can reproduce rapidly and outcompete native species. It is hard to ignore the impacts of invasive species in our region: financial, recreation, ecological, agricultural, and health. On lakes, boaters, swimmers, and anglers encounter colonies of Eurasian water milfoil or curly leaf pondweed. In woodlands, species like
buckthorn and non-native earthworms alter shade or soil conditions in ways that lead to decline in native shrubs, wildflowers, and ground cover. In grasslands, spotted knapweed and leafy spurge crowd out native prairie species. When natural systems lose diversity, they are typically less resilient. Actively managing invasive species can help stop the downward ecological spiral and loss of diversity. Aldo Leopold advised, “To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.” Maplewood is dedicated to protecting and enhancing its lakes and natural areas. One of the first invasive species that was actively managed in our region was the non-native fungus that causes Dutch elm disease (DED). DED was first noticed in the Twin Cities in 1961. Elm fatalities exploded in the 1970’s with St. Paul loosing over 50,000 elm trees in a single year (1977). Emerald ash borer, first found in the metro in 2009, may be even more devastating to ash trees than DED had been to elm (see article on page 2).
Summer 2013 the Ramsey County Cooperative Weed Management Area adopted a new approach – Early Detection and Rapid Response. The goal is to find invasives as they begin to establish in our community and to control them before they spread to multiple sites. The Invasive Plant Patrol, a citizen monitoring program, is the heart of this project and has been very successful in its first two years (see article on page 3). While the Plant Patrol rings in a new era for how we approach invasive plants, the City will continue to support programs addressing widespread invasives like buckthorn. What can you do? Learn about our local invasive species (visit the City’s invasives webpage at www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/invasives). Help prevent the spread of invasive species (see articles on page 2 and 3). And if you have the time and interest, volunteer to help monitor and manage invasives (see article on page 3).
In 2011, frustrated with the cost and difficulty of managing invasive plants after they are widespread, Maplewood and partners from
Maplewood Tackles Invasives
Early Detection Carole monitors invasive species
Prevent A boot brush removes seeds
Control – Loosestrife Biocontrol
Educate – Jr Volunteers Remove Dame’s Rocket