5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods= manually or mechanically damaging plants

Removing beachgrass (Ammophila arinaria) from Lanphere Dunes CA

Uprooting tamarisk (Tamarix spp) in Arizona

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methodsAdvantages• Generally much less public opposition: people will even

volunteer!

Phragmites australis control in Kampoosa Bog Mass.

Volunteers cut reed stems and injected stems with herbicide to kill underground rhizomes

Annual monitoring and treatment continues (started in 2000)

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methodsAdvantages• Generally much less public opposition• Works well on small populations: Lanphere dunes example – 10

acres infested.

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methodsAdvantages• Generally much less public opposition• Works well on small populations• Can be extremely specific: minimize damage to other plants or

environment

Centauria diffusa control in Oregon: weeding out individual knapweed plants while not disturbing surrounding vegetation

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methodsAdvantages• Generally much less public opposition• Works well on small populations• Can be extremely specific: minimize damage to other plants or

environment • But not always specific…

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methodsAdvantages• Generally much less public opposition• Works well on small populations• Can be extremely specificDisadvantages• Labor & time intensive: beach grass removal at Lanphere Dunes

took 2,951 person-hours per acre over 3 years (at $7.00 per hour, that’s $20,657 per acre). VOLUNTEERS ARE ESSENTIAL!

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methodsAdvantages• Generally much less public opposition• Works well on small populations• Can be extremely specificDisadvantages• Labor & time intensive• Often requires follow-up treatments: Lanphre dunes took 3

years of repeated treatments.

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methodsAdvantages• Generally much less public opposition• Works well on small populations• Can be extremely specificDisadvantages• Labor & time intensive• Often requires follow-up treatments• Inadvertent damage

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding• Effective: annuals, tap-rooted plants, some woody plants

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding• Effective: annuals, tap-rooted plants, some woody plants• Not effective: perennials with rhizomes

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding• Effective: annuals, tap-rooted plants, some woody plants• Not effective: perennials with rhizomes• Advantages: (1) specificity

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding• Effective: annuals, tap-rooted plants, some woody plants• Not effective: perennials with rhizomes• Advantages: (1) specificity; (2) minimize impact

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding• Effective: annuals, tap-rooted plants, some woody plants• Not effective: perennials with rhizomes• Advantages: (1) specificity; (2) minimize impact; (3) low cost for

equipment

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding• Effective: annuals, tap-rooted plants, some woody plants• Not effective: perennials with rhizomes• Advantages: (1) specificity; (2) minimize impact; (3) low cost for

equipment

Root talon

Weed wrench

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding• Effective: annuals, tap-rooted plants, some woody plants• Not effective: perennials with rhizomes• Advantages: (1) specificity; (2) minimize impact; (3) low cost for

equipment• Disadvantages: (1) labor intensive

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding• Effective: annuals, tap-rooted plants, some woody plants• Not effective: perennials with rhizomes• Advantages: (1) specificity; (2) minimize impact; (3) low cost for

equipment• Disadvantages: (1) labor intensive; (2) small areas

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on a greater number of species

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on a greater number of species• Not effective: plants that re-sprout or regenerate from

fragments

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on a greater number of species• Not effective: plants that resprout or regenerate from fragments• Advantages: (1) primary treatment

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on a greater number of species• Not effective: plants that resprout or regenerate from fragments• Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on a greater number of species• Not effective: plants that resprout or regenerate from fragments• Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3)

less labor

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on a greater number of species• Not effective: plants that resprout or regenerate from fragments• Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3) less

labor• Disadvantages: (1) follow-up treatments

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on a greater number of species• Not effective: plants that resprout or regenerate from fragments• Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3) less

labor• Disadvantages: (1) follow-up treatments; (2) more equipment

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling• Effective: annuals, shallow-rooted perennials

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling• Effective: annuals, shallow-rooted perennials• Not effective: plants regenerate from root/stem fragments

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling• Effective: annuals, shallow-rooted perennials• Not effective: plants regenerate from root/stem fragments• Advantages: (1) effective, especially if completed before seeds

produced & when soil is dry

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling• Effective: annuals, shallow-rooted perennials• Not effective: plants regenerate from root/stem fragments• Advantages: (1) effective, especially if completed before seeds

produced & when soil is dry; (2) large areas

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling• Effective: annuals, shallow-rooted perennials• Not effective: plants regenerate from root/stem fragments• Advantages: (1) effective, especially if completed before seeds

produced & when soil is dry; (2) large areas• Disadvantages: (1) soil disturbance

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling• Effective: annuals, shallow-rooted perennials• Not effective: plants regenerate from root/stem fragments• Advantages: (1) effective, especially if completed before seeds

produced & when soil is dry; (2) large areas• Disadvantages: (1) soil disturbance; (2) more equipment

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing• Similar to mowing/cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on some perennial species• Not effective: plants that re-sprout

Sheep grazing on leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) in a Colorado State University control trial

Can even be a lucrative business opportunity…

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing• Similar to mowing/cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on some perennial species• Not effective: plants that resprout • Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3)

less labor

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing• Similar to mowing/cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on some perennial species• Not effective: plants that resprout • Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3) less

labor & less equipment

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing• Similar to mowing/cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on some perennial species• Not effective: plants that resprout • Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3) less

labor & less equipment; (4) break crust; (5) incorporate seeds into soil

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing• Similar to mowing/cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on some perennial species• Not effective: plants that resprout • Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3) less

labor & less equipment; (4) break crust; (5) incorporate seeds into soil

• Disadvantages: (1) overgrazing

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing• Similar to mowing/cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on some perennial species• Not effective: plants that resprout • Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3) less

labor & less equipment; (4) break crust; (5) incorporate seeds into soil

• Disadvantages: (1) overgrazing; (2) follow-up treatments

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing• Similar to mowing/cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on some perennial species• Not effective: plants that resprout • Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3) less

labor & less equipment; (4) break crust; (5) incorporate seeds into soil

• Disadvantages: (1) overgrazing; (2) follow-up treatments• Considerations: (1) type of animal

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing• Similar to mowing/cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on some perennial species• Not effective: plants that resprout • Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3) less

labor & less equipment; (4) break crust; (5) incorporate seeds into soil

• Disadvantages: (1) overgrazing; (2) follow-up treatments• Considerations: (1) type of animal; (2) timing & duration of

grazing

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing• Similar to mowing/cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on some perennial species• Not effective: plants that resprout • Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3) less

labor & less equipment; (4) break crust; (5) incorporate seeds into soil

• Disadvantages: (1) overgrazing; (2) follow-up treatments• Considerations: (1) type of animal; (2) timing & duration of grazing;

(3) controlling movement

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing• Similar to mowing/cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on some perennial species• Not effective: plants that resprout • Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3) less

labor & less equipment; (4) break crust; (5) incorporate seeds into soil

• Disadvantages: (1) overgrazing; (2) follow-up treatments• Considerations: (1) type of animal; (2) timing & duration of grazing;

(3) controlling movement; (4) controlling seed dispersal

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing• Similar to mowing/cutting• Single: Effective on some annuals; reduce seed production• Repeated: effective on some perennial species• Not effective: plants that resprout • Advantages: (1) primary treatment; (2) relatively large areas; (3) less

labor & less equipment; (4) break crust; (5) incorporate seeds into soil

• Disadvantages: (1) overgrazing; (2) follow-up treatments• Considerations: (1) type of animal; (2) timing & duration of grazing;

(3) controlling movement; (4) controlling seed dispersal; (5) predation

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing

• Example: Patterson’s Curse (Echium plantangineum) in Australia – grazing worked almost as well as herbicide to control

• ‘Crash grazing’ – short duration, high stocking rate

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing

• Example: Medusahead (Taenatherium caput-medusae) in California (UC coop. extension)

• ‘Intensive grazing’ – short duration, high stocking rate

“Excellent control was obtained with very high-density and short-duration grazing, but these levels are difficult for many ranchers to duplicate. Additional funding expands the research …and will examine the effect of lower animal densities and longer grazing periods on medusahead control”

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn• Effective: a range of annual & perennial invasives; herbs &

woody

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn• Effective: a range of annual & perennial invasives; herbs & woody• Not effective: plants that resprout; fire-adapted seeds; novel

disturbance

Scotch broom prescribed burn(photo USFS)

Desert grassland prescribed burn; prevent woodyPlant encroachment (photo USFS)

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn• Effective: a range of annual & perennial invasives; herbs & woody• Not effective: plants that resprout; fire-adapted seeds; novel

disturbance• Advantages: (1) win-win scenario

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn• Effective: a range of annual & perennial invasives; herbs & woody• Not effective: plants that resprout; fire-adapted seeds; novel

disturbance• Advantages: (1) win-win scenario; (2) relatively large areas

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn• Effective: a range of annual & perennial invasives; herbs & woody• Not effective: plants that resprout; fire-adapted seeds; novel

disturbance• Advantages: (1) win-win scenario; (2) relatively large areas• Disadvantages: (1) specialized labor & equipment

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn• Effective: a range of annual & perennial invasives; herbs & woody• Not effective: plants that resprout; fire-adapted seeds; novel

disturbance• Advantages: (1) win-win scenario; (2) relatively large areas• Disadvantages: (1) specialized labor & equipment; (2) control

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn• Effective: a range of annual & perennial invasives; herbs & woody• Not effective: plants that resprout; fire-adapted seeds; novel

disturbance• Advantages: (1) win-win scenario; (2) relatively large areas• Disadvantages: (1) specialized labor & equipment; (2) control; (3)

potential adverse soil effects

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn• Effective: a range of annual & perennial invasives; herbs & woody• Not effective: plants that resprout; fire-adapted seeds; novel

disturbance• Advantages: (1) win-win scenario; (2) relatively large areas• Disadvantages: (1) specialized labor & equipment; (2) control; (3)

potential adverse soil effects• Considerations: (1) timing of burn

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn• Effective: a range of annual & perennial invasives; herbs & woody• Not effective: plants that resprout; fire-adapted seeds; novel

disturbance• Advantages: (1) win-win scenario; (2) relatively large areas• Disadvantages: (1) specialized labor & equipment; (2) control; (3)

potential adverse soil effects• Considerations: (1) timing of burn; (2) controlling seed dispersal

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn(6) Girdling• Effective: single-trunk plants such as pines, some oaks &

maples• Not effective: plants that resprout

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn(6) Girdling• Effective: single-trunk plants such as pines, some oaks & maples• Not effective: plants that resprout• Advantages: (1) less labor than cutting; (2) highly specific; (3)

snags for wildlife; (4) returns nutrients to soil; (5) reduced erosion potential

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn(6) Girdling• Effective: single-trunk plants such as pines, some oaks & maples• Not effective: plants that resprout• Advantages: (1) less labor than cutting; (2) highly specific; (3) snags

for wildlife; (4) returns nutrients to soil; (5) reduced erosion potential• Disadvantages: (1) labor intensive; (2) small areas

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn(6) Girdling(7) Mulching• Effective: small herbaceous invasives without storage tissues

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn(6) Girdling(7) Mulching• Effective: small herbaceous invasives without storage tissues• Advantages: (1) by-product use• Disadvantages: (1) non-specific; (2) small areas

Oxalis pes-caprae infestations can be controlled by mulching orsolarization

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn(6) Girdling(7) Mulching(8) Soil solarization• Effective: small herbaceous invasives or after land clearing

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn(6) Girdling(7) Mulching(8) Soil solarization• Effective: small herbaceous invasives or after land clearing• Advantages: (1) complete kill; (2) retains nutrients• Disadvantages: (1) non-specific

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn(6) Girdling(7) Mulching(8) Soil solarization(9) Flooding• Effective: limited number of invasives

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn(6) Girdling(7) Mulching(8) Soil solarization(9) Flooding• Effective: limited number of invasives• Advantages: (1) complete kill• Disadvantages: (1) non-specific

5) Managementc) Control

ii) Mechanical methods(1) Weeding(2) Mowing & brush cutting(3) Tilling(4) Grazing(5) Prescribed burn(6) Girdling(7) Mulching(8) Soil solarization(9) Flooding