CalEPPC News - California Invasive Plant Council · Slide Collection Tony Bomkamp 714.837.0404 Species Management & Control: ... Americorps Troops manually attack Pampas grass invading

CalEPPCNewsVolume 6 � Number 1 Winter 1998

A quarterlypublication

of the CaliforniaExotic Pest Plant Council

Volunteers fight erosion and exotic weeds at the former Fort Ord.Photo by Anne Knox.

IN THIS ISSUEPresident�s Messageby Mike Pitcairn .................... p. 3

Fort Ord Readies theTroops for War - on Weedsby Virginia Fry .................... p. 4

CalEPPC Symposium �97Synopsisby Peter Warner .................. p. 6

Pampas Grass Research,Control & Education GrantsProgram Awardsby John Randall ................ p. 10

CalEPPC News

Page 2 � Winter 1998

OfficersPresident Mike Pitcairn CDFA, 3288 Meadowview Road,Sacramento, CA

95832; 916.262.2049; email:<[email protected]>

Vice-president Greg Archbald GGNPA, Fort Mason, Bldg. 201, San Francisco, CA94123; 415.561.3034, Ext. 3425;email: <[email protected]>

Secretary John Randall TNC Wildland Weeds Mgmt., UC Section of PlantBiology, Davis, CA 95616; 916.754.8890; email:<[email protected]>

Treasurer Sally Davis 31872 Joshua Dr., No. 25D, Trabuco Canyon, CA92679; 714.888.8541; email: <[email protected]>

Past-president Ann Howald 210 Chestnut Ave., Sonoma, CA 95476;707.939.0775; email:<[email protected]>

Board Members whose terms expire December 31, 1998

Joe Balciunas USDA Biocontrol, 800 Buchanan St., Albany, CA94710; 510.559.5975; email:<[email protected]>

Carl Bell UC Coop Ext., 1050 E. Holton Rd., Holtville, CA92250; 760.352.9474; email: <[email protected]>

Joe DiTomaso UC Weed Science Prog., 210 Robbins Hall, Davis, CA95616; 916.754.8715;email: <[email protected]>

Steve Harris P.O. Box 341, Arcata, CA 95518-0341;707.443.6943; email: <[email protected]>

Board Members whose terms expire December 31, 1999

Jo Kitz 6223 Lubao Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91367;818.346.9675; email: <[email protected]>

Anne Knox BLM, 2135 Butano Dr., Sacramento, CA 95825;916.978.4645; email: <[email protected]>

Brenda Ouwerkerk SLO County Dept. of Agriculture, 2156 Sierra Way,Suite A, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401;805.781.5910; email: <[email protected]>

Ellie Wagner 909 Oak Ave., Davis, CA 95616; 916.653.8907,email: <[email protected]>

Peter Warner P.O. Box 7208, Cotati, CA 94931; 707.792.2822;email: <[email protected]>

Working Group ChairpersonsDatabase Steve Harris 707.443.6943Nursery growers/landscape architects liaison Dan Songster 714.895.8161Slide Collection Tony Bomkamp 714.837.0404Species Management & Control:

Biocontrol Mike Pitcairn 916.262.2049Arundo Nelroy Jackson 909.279.7787Brooms Need chairpersonGerman ivy/hoary cress Dave Chipping 805.528.0362

and Greg Archbald 415.561.3034, Ext.3425Lepidium Joel Trumbo 916.355.0128Pampas grass Joe DiTomaso 916.754.8715Yellow starthistle Mike Pitcairn 916.262.2049Tamarisk Bill Neill 281.287.5246

and Jeff Lovich 909.787.4719Volunteers Mike Kelly 619.566.6489

and Jo Kitz 818.346.9675

CalEPPC�s web site: http://www.caleppc.org

Please Note:The California Exotic Pest Plant Council is aCalifornia 501(c)3 non-profit, public benefitcorporation organized to provide a focus for issuesand concerns regarding exotic pest plants inCalifornia, and is recognized under federal and statetax laws a qualified donee for tax deduciblecharitable contributions.

Who We AreCalEPPC NEWS is published quarterlyby the California Exotic Pest PlantCouncil, a non-profit organization. Theobjects of the organization are to:

j provide a focus for issues andconcerns regarding exotic pestplants in California;

j facilitate communication and theexchange of information regardingall aspects of exotic pest plantcontrol and management;

j provide a forum where all interestedparties may participate in meetingsand share in the benefits from theinformation generated by thiscouncil;

j promote public understandingregarding exotic pest plants andtheir control;

j serve as an advisory council regard-ing funding, research, managementand control of exotic pest plants;

j facilitate action campaigns tomonitor and control exotic pestplants in California; and

j review incipient and potential pestplant management problems andactivities and provide relevantinformation to interested parties.

1998 CalEPPC Officers andBoard Members

CalEPPC News

Winter 1998 � Page 3

�Overtwo hundredthousand dollarswill bedistributed toPampas grassremoval andresearchprojects.�

President�s MessageMike Pitcairn

As I was driving back fromSymposium �97 in Concord(wasn�t it great!) the realiza-

tion that I was to be the president in1998 started to sink in. It is,indeed, an honor to serve thisorganization as president, especiallyin following our excellent pastpresident, Ann Howald, and I thankyou for the opportunity. Then, aanother thought occurred to me.Coordinating the activities ofCalEPPC will not be business asusual because in 1998 we have asubstantial change in the member-ship of the board of directors.Three long-standing board mem-bers, Jeff Lovich, Nelroy Jackson,and Mike Kelly, will not be return-ing. These three individuals wereinstrumental in the formation ofCalEPPC and setting it on itscurrent course. Much of the suc-cess that CalEPPC has achievedwas due to the efforts of the earlyboard of directors to which theseindividuals belonged. On behalf ofCalEPPC, I want to say thank you,Jeff, Nelroy, and Mike, for yourcontributions to CalEPPC thesepast years.

The flip side of this is that theywill be replaced by three enthusias-tic, new board members: EllenWagner, Peter Warner, and AnneKnox. It will be a pleasure to workwith such knowledgeable anddedicated individuals as we wageour war against invasive exoticweeds. These new board membersbring new ideas, perspectives, andenergy to the business of CalEPPCand I am looking forward to work-ing with them this year.

To make the transition assmooth as possible, it was sug-

gested that we have an orientationfor the new board members andprovide them with a little historyand an update on the currentprojects and issues being discussedby the board. This gave me achance to look back on our accom-plishments of the last five years,and, you know, we have accom-plished a lot! The hope of the earlyorganizers of CalEPPC was that itwould provide an avenue to educatethe general public on the threat toour native ecosystems from invasiveexotic plants and to provide for theexchange of information on how tobest control or remove these plants.Certainly that has happenedthrough our newsletter, weed list,annual symposium, and proceed-ings, which have been some of thestrengths of this organization. Butthe existence of CalEPPC has alsoprovided an opportunity for indi-viduals and organizations to providefunds for actual weed controlprojects throughout California.Two recent examples are the effortsdirected toward Pampas grass andCape ivy (formerly German ivy).Last year, in response to a requestby an anonymous donor, a commit-tee was formed to distribute fundingfor Pampas grass control, research,and education projects. For this,the committee issued a request forproposals. The result was that overtwo hundred thousand dollars willbe distributed to Pampas grassremoval and research projects, anddevelopment of an educationalbrochure and video. Details on theaward winners and their projectsare provided later in this newsletter.All of us with CalEPPC are gratefulto this generous donor for providing

the funding for this work and I ampleased that CalEPPC was able tostep up and provide the means forthis to happen.

The second recent project isthe fund raising effort for biological

control of Cape ivy in California.This smothering vine covers acresof ground in the drainages ofcoastal streams from San Diego toDel Norte Counties. A total of$42,000.00 has been raised and ancooperative agreement between theUnited States Department ofAgriculture, Agricultural ResearchService, and CalEPPC has beensigned. The money will be used tofund South African scientists toexplore and locate natural enemies(insects and diseases) of Cape ivy inits native habitat. Updates on thisand other projects will be publishedin later issues of the newsletter.

So, it looks to be an excitingyear. We have so much for whichto be proud and thankful and I lookforward to serving CalEPPC in1998.

CalEPPC News


Fort Ord Readies the Troops forWar - on Weeds!by Virginia Fry, Professor Emeritis, Monterey Peninsula College

As far back as the 1950s orearlier, a unique and fortu-itous set of circumstances

began influencing attitudes about thevalue of the local environmentamong administrators at Fort Ord, a28,000-acre military base in centralcoastal California, adjacent to theMonterey Peninsula.

Initially, two influential men andone woman were responsible, invery different ways, for sensitizingFort Ord Army commandants to theworth of the native landscape;S.F.B. Morse (grandnephew of theinventor of the telegraph), the ownerand preserver of much of the 6,000acre Del Monte Forest, better knownas Pebble Beach, and Allen Griffin,founder, owner, publisher, and editorof the then distinguished and nation-ally respected Monterey PeninsulaHerald. Both men socialized regu-larly, over many years, with thecommanding generals of Fort Ord.

These two strong communityleaders spoke ardently about savingnatural landscapes and plantingnative pines, oaks and cypress trees.Griffin, long before others thoughtabout noxious exotic plants, wasimpassioned about the eradication oficeplant (Carpobrotus edulis) fromthe Monterey Peninsula�s dunes andhighways, and French broom(Genista monspessulana) from thepeninsula�s pine forests. And hisviews appeared in his newspaper.

In 1964, Beatrice Howitt,retired virologist, published with co-author John Howell, The VascularPlants of Monterey County, Cali-fornia in the Wasman Journal ofBiology, University of San Francisco.They listed 1,713 indigenous andintroduced species in MontereyCounty�s wildlands, making it one of

the most bountiful flora regions inthe Northern Hemisphere, with 37plants identified, at that time, asoccurring no where else in theworld, �...so that Monterey is re-markably blessed with some of therarest plants known.�

Howitt somehow convinced theArmy to let her survey for rarenative plants and habitats on FortOrd�s thousands of wild acres. At thesame time, she also started a localchapter of the California NativePlant Society (CNPS) which, in1967, negotiated an AdministrativeAgreement with General Robert G.Fergeson, commandant of Fort Ord,(and friend of Griffin and Morse), toset aside, preserve, and protect smallrare Plant Reserves at Fort Ord.

Later in 1972another comman-dant, GeneralHarold Moore,stated that hewanted as manytrees planted asthere were peopleon Fort Ord, thetotal of which wasapproximately30,000. JackMassera, who atthe time was theArmy�s ResourceManager, wasinvolved in themassive effort. Herecalls, �Weplanted morethan that; maybe 100,000. Mostwere Monterey pines and cypresses,but some were non-native eucalyp-tus. Several years later I oversawthousands more Monterey cypressesplanted as a windbreak all along thewestern perimeter of Fort Ord.�

Americorps Troops manually attack Pampas grass invading rare marine chapparal.

For decades, the community andthe Army commandants had beensensitized and educated about thevalue of preserving the uniquenatural environments in theMonterey area. The environmentalmovement was well underway, andmore and more biologists weremoving to the region. Into thatincreasingly environmentally awareclimate came the first U.S. BaseRealignment and Closure Commis-sion (BRAC I). In 1989 Fort Ordwas listed among military basesscheduled for possible closure.

The California Native PlantSociety, unsure if the AdministrativeAgreement they had made with theArmy to protect rare plants andhabitats would be legally binding on

future Fort Ord owners, movedsuccessfully to place the preservationconditions of the Plant Reserves inperpetuity in a legal agreement.

In 1991, BRAC II closed FortOrd, the largest military base closurein the United States, after 74 years

Continued on next page

CalEPPC News


as a military basic training facility.Leon Panetta, then the local region�sU.S. Congressman, formed a large,diverse, citizen Task Force to recom-mend what the 44 square miles ofFort Ord, an area the size of SanFrancisco, should become. Statesenator Henry Mello introducedlegislation to create a special author-ity made up of the mayors of theseven small cities surrounding FortOrd, and three Supervisors fromMonterey County [the Fort OrdReuse Authority (FORA)], to governand facilitate the transition frommilitary to civilian use.

The large citizen Task Force,with views as diverse as its members,recommended, after much discus-sion, that more than 16,000 acresof Fort Ord�s wildlands be preservedas public parkland and wildlifehabitat, and that educational facili-ties, such as universities, be givendevelopment priority on the remain-ing acres. Congressman LeonPanetta, the Army, and FORAmoved to implement the recommen-dations.

The Army was required (becauseof the rare nature of the vegetationon Fort Ord and the presence ofendangered and threatened species)to prepare a Habitat ManagementPlan (HMP), and that plan spawnedthe formation of the CoordinatedResource Management and PlanningTeam (CRMP) to make the habitatmanagement work.

The three early harbingers of�save the land,� Morse, Griffin, andHowitt, were long deceased but theirenvironmental legacy lived on in thecommunity for which they workedso hard and so long, in disparateways, to protect.

The next series of fortuitous

events was the Community TaskForce recommended that the U.S.Bureau of Land Management (BLM)manage 15,000 wildland acres ofFort Ord. Steve Addington, theassistant manager from the BLMHollister Field Office, was trans-ferred to Fort Ord as the BLMproject manager, and Jack Massera,who had worked for 23 years onFort Ord as the Army�s ResourceManager, became the BLM�s Re-source Advisor.

Within a few years the keyplayers to insure habitat manage-ment at former Fort Ord were firmlyin place: the BLM, the new Califor-nia State University of Monterey Bay(CSUMB), and the CoordinatedResource Management and PlanningTeam (CRMP) made up of represen-tatives from the BLM, FORA, theArmy, California Department ofParks and Recreation (who willreceive the 886 acres of Fort Ord�scoastal dunes), the University ofCalifornia at Santa Cruz, MontereyCounty, the City of Marina (all landrecipients), and California Depart-ment of Fish and Game, U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service, and others.

Steve Addington, BLM ProjectManager, became the chairman ofCRMP and a driving force in itscooperative efforts. Restorationthrough erosion control, replantingof native plants, monitoring ofendangered and threatened species,and noxious exotic plant controlbecame the subjects of collaborativediscussions and coordinated action.

CSUMB started a WatershedInstitute dedicated to having studentsand volunteers collects native plantseeds on the site, propagate andnurture them, and then plant theyoung natives in eroded and dis-

turbed areas of the former Fort Ord.An offshoot of that endeavor wasthe formation of the Return of theNatives Education Project (RON),the education and outreach arm ofthe Watershed Institute. RON is acommunity and school based envi-ronmental education programdedicated to involving students(Kindergarten through universitylevel) in native plant and habitatrestoration in their schoolyards,parks, and elsewhere. They arepartners with the BLM in restorationeducation efforts and regular volun-teer �Planting Days� on the 7,200acres that so far has been trans-ferred from the Army to the BLM.

More than 2,500 school chil-dren and community volunteers haveparticipated in the RON plantingevents at Fort Ord during the pasttwo years. The local Native PlantSociety, still very involved with theenvironmental direction it pioneeredlong ago at Fort Ord, continues tomonitor the rare Plant Reserves andis actively involved in �PlantingDays.�

The little known story aboutFort Ord is the incredible coopera-tion that occurs at the rolled-up-sleeves-level of labor among thosecombating erosion, building trails,restoring habitats, and fightinginvasive weeds. The agencies allshare staff, shovels, volunteers,bulldozers, ideas, camaraderie, andrespect; everything but cash.

The agencies recognized moreeffort was necessary to successfullyeradicate noxious weeds. The BLMhad already been combating theworst of the exotics in cooperationwith the Army and State Depart-ment of Parks and Recreation.Those �weed warriors,� with the

Continued on page 8

CalEPPC News


�Speakers high-lighted themeeting�s centralthemes of reachingout and keepingout with topicalseminars.�

CalEPPC Symposium �97Peter J. Warner, Milo Baker Chapter, California native Plant Society

More than 300 peopleattended the CaliforniaExotic Pest Plant Council�s

sixth annual symposium in October,a testament of the mounting aware-ness concerning the global phenom-enon of invasive plant species. Manyof the ecological, economic andsocial issues associated with invasiveplants were addressed in two days oforal presentations; the symposiumalso demonstrated its value as anetworking event with poster display

organizing people. Some speakerssummarized their strategies formotivating individuals and groups ofvolunteers while others discussedopportunities for agency coopera-tion at the federal, state and locallevels.

The keynote speaker, BonnieHarper-Lore of the U.S. Depart-ment of Transportation, updated uson the status of the Federal Inter-agency Committee on Managementof Noxious and Exotic Weeds(FICMNEW). Seventeen federalagencies, including the U.S. Depart-ments of Agriculture, Defense andthe Interior, have signed a memo-randum of understanding in recogni-tion of the need for cooperation incombating both wildland and agricul-tural weeds. This coalition aims toimprove the communication amongthe branches and agencies of federalgovernment pertaining to invasivespecies research as well as manage-ment and habitat restoration issues.

A similar hub for information onthe state level was introduced bySteve Schoenig of the CaliforniaDepartment of Food and Agriculture(CDFA). Created by the CaliforniaInteragency Noxious Weed Coordi-nating Committee, with grantassistance from the Bureau of LandManagement, a keyword-searchableInternet database on noxious weedcontrol projects and methods will beimplemented pending the accumula-tion of statewide project informa-tion. Anne Knox of the Bureau ofLand Management (BLM) stressedthe importance of a collaborativestrategy for the funding of weedcontrol projects. Sixteen state andfederal agencies have signed amemorandum of understanding(http://www.ca.blm.gov/weeds) forthe control of noxious weeds inCalifornia. The local formation ofWeed Management Areas that

involve the co-signing agencies ofthe MOU may provide an opportu-nity for grant awards through the�Partners Against Weeds� actionplan of the BLM (see page 9 fordetails).

Paul Jones of the U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency (EPA)reviewed the current status of �TeamArundo del Norte,� a Bay Areagroup committed to controlling anderadicating infestations of giant reed(Arundo donax) and other invasiveplants along riparian corridors. TeamArundo will work with local water-shed management programs toaddress a suite of critical ecologicalissues including erosion, pollution,and invasive plant species throughpublic education, research and policyformulation.

Several speakers enthusiasticallypromoted educational opportunities,volunteerism and community in-volvement as invaluable socialcomponents of invasive plant eradi-cation and habitat restorationprograms. Brian O�Neill, the Gen-eral Superintendent of the GoldenGate National Recreation Area(GGNRA), summarized the park�sambitious volunteer programs whichhave enabled citizens to recognizethemselves as vital components ofthe urban social community. SharonFarrell, GGNRA�s plant ecologist,expanded on the structure andeffectiveness of the park�s steward-ship programs which involvesthousands of volunteers in a myriadof restoration and plant-propagationprojects every year. Carl Grimm ofthe San Francisco League of UrbanGardeners (SLUG) reinforced themessage that environmental workcan be an invaluable resource forenhancing individual self-esteem byrelating his personal experiences ofworking with inner-city youth in top-to-bottom sustainable agriculture,

sessions and working group meet-ings affording opportunities forinteraction and conversation. On thethird day field trips enabled partici-pants to witness the gains made inreturning several San Francisco BayArea habitats from the chokehold ofweeds.

Presenting from a wide range ofperspectives, speakers highlightedthe meeting�s central themes of�reaching out� and �keeping out�with topical seminars on invasiveplants and human initiatives to dealwith them. Discussions concerningweed recognition, assessing theirecological impacts, and projectsdesigned to keep weeds at bay werecomplemented by those whichemphasized the importance ofcommunity outreach. Clearly, thetechnical successes of restorationprograms can often be accomplishedthrough educating, enlisting and


CalEPPC News



tion. When restoring habitat, usingthe most local seed source possiblefor each species may not onlyproduce better practical results, butwill also have less impact on theecology and evolution of thoseplants.

One alternative for the controlof exotic weed species is the intro-duction of biological agents (e.g.,insects) which are the natural preda-tors of specific plant species. JoeBalciunas of the Agricultural Re-search Service of the USDA dis-cussed the required procedures priorto the release of these biocontrolagents. In order to avoid the exacer-bation of ecological problemsthrough the introduction of ineffec-tive or invasive insect species,extensive study of the pertinentecological relationships is necessary.The requisite field and laboratoryresearch demands both time andfinancing, and unfortunately, fundingfor this work has been slashed inrecent years. Public education andpolitical lobbying is essential in orderto restore such funding withoutwhich reliance on other methods ofweed control will need to be in-creased.

John Randall of The NatureConservancy�s Wildland WeedsManagement and Research programdiscussed about 20 non-nativespecies that have recently estab-lished themselves in the Californiaflora. Dr. Randall stressed theimportance of monitoring thesespecies and of establishing eradica-tion activities for those that dobecome invasive. Susan Donaldsonof the University of Nevada Coop-erative Extension provided anoverview of the vulnerability ofriparian systems to invasive plants.She reviewed how some non-nativeshave capitalized on their abilities toreproduce vegetatively along the

gardening and restoration projects.Lisa Vittori, formerly of the Califor-nia Conservation Corps, humorouslyprovided an insider�s slant on how toachieve the maximum benefitspossible from working with the CCCor inmate crews in restoration work,stressing the importance of educatingthe labor forces, and providing workbreaks and refreshments for thoseengaging in hand-to-hand combatwith invasive plants.

Michael Swezy of the MarinMunicipal Water District emphasizedthe necessity of creating a multi-faceted bureaucracy to address suchneeds as equipment purchasing andlabor, while also engaging publicsupport. Linda Miller, the HumboldtProject Manager for the Center forNatural Lands Management, outlinedthe diversification of outreach neces-sary in sparsely populated areas inorder to access the essential manuallabor for restoration projects. Allpotential sources (schools, civic andenvironmental organizations, andinmate labor) need to be explored toaccomplish the work. Festive socialgatherings with refreshments andentertainment are always well re-ceived.

David Boyd of the CaliforniaDepartment of Parks & Recreationimpressed the attendants with a slidepresentation on the reduction of theEucalyptus globulus population onAngel Island State Park. Despite thedifficulties of promoting the removalof these well-established trees to thepublic sector, David reported that themedia was quite fair in presentingopposing viewpoints on this large-scale project and the citizens wereenlightened about the positiveramifications of habitat restoration inthe process. In a somewhat lesscontroversial project, Andrea Pickartof The Nature Conservancy summa-rized the three primary methods that

have been employed in the removalof European beach grass from theLanphere-Christensen Dunes Pre-serve in Humboldt County. Compar-ing the results of manual removalwith those of both herbicide andheavy equipment use, Andrea cau-tioned that the effectiveness of thelatter two methods often depends onintense follow-up manual labor.

Joe DiTomaso, the non-cropweed specialist with the University ofCalifornia Cooperative Extension,provided a summary of potentialecological effects resulting fromvarious weed reduction or eliminationtreatments. Dr. DiTomaso assertedthat in choosing among weed man-agement alternatives, assessmentsshould incorporate weighing thepossible risks to all physical and bioticcomponents of ecosystems as aelement of conscientious planning.

Similarly, in restoration planningboth the practical efficacy of reveg-etation techniques as well as theoften less apparent impacts onecosystems, component species, andgenetic diversity should be consid-ered. Eric Knapp of the Departmentof Agronomy and Range Science atUC Davis detailed the results ofstudies, conducted in collaborationwith Kevin Rice, on the geneticvariability among populations of twonative perennial grasses, purpleneedlegrass and blue wild-rye, whichare used extensively in grasslandrestoration projects. Each exhibitssubstantial within-species geneticdifferences among populations thatgrow in different regions or environ-ments. Introduction of non-local seedmay also negatively impact the fitnessof local populations of the samespecies by genetic contamination,especially in cross-pollinating specieswhere large quantities of non-localplants are introduced into a habitatsupporting an existing native popula-

CalEPPC News


CalEPPC Symposium �97 (cont�d)

Truckee River since the January1997 floods. Saltcedar, whitetop,purple loosestrife and Eurasianmilfoil disrupt ecosystem functioningthrough such mechanisms as in-creased erosion and reduced waterquality.

Thomas Van Devender ad-dressed some of the ecologicalimpacts of alien grasses on SonoranDesert ecosystems. Bromus rubensand Pennisetum ciliare are threat-ening the natural diversity of desertplant communities. Both of thesespecies out-compete native plantsfor soil moisture and nutrients, andboth are fire-adapted species thathave been implicated in promotingthe increased incidence of fire indesert ecosystems, re-occupyingburned sites more rapidly than themajority of native species.

Discussing the impacts ofanother invasive plant species ondesert ecosystems, Jeffrey Lovich ofthe U.S. Geological Survey, re-viewed the ecological implications ofsaltcedar (Tamarix sp.) invasionsinto wetlands and riparian corridorsof the southwest. Supporting hiscontention that concerns for indi-vidual native bird species (e.g., theSouthwestern willow flycatcher) mustnot undermine the greater goal ofpreserving habitat for the full assem-blage of native species, Dr. Lovichemphasized that the overwhelmingdominance of saltcedar is jeopardiz-ing the structure of entire ecosys-tems. Efforts to restore habitat andthe functioning of ecosystems shouldbe accorded the highest priority forthe benefit of all native species.

Maria Alvarez of GGNRAsummarized the results of herresearch on the effects of Cape ivy(Delairea odorata) [formerly knownas German ivy (Seneciomikanioides)], on riparian and

coastal scrub habitats. The explosivegrowth rate and smothering vine-likemorphology of this species contrib-utes to its success in reducingdiversity in native plant communi-ties. Given its rapid rate of en-croachment and displacement ofnative species, park ecologists havetargeted this plant for the unequivo-cal management technique ofremoval. Research on the ecology ofCape ivy and effective controlmethods (including the potential forbiocontrol), will require continuedsupport in order to prevent this pestplant from becoming �California�skudzu.�

In a fascinating presentationthat connected agricultural land usehistory with the biology of aninvasive species, John Gerlach ofthe UC Davis Department ofAgronomy and Range Scienceprovided us with a data-supportedaccount of how yellow starthistlewas introduced into the westernUnited States. By tracing the entryof starthistle into California as acoincidental component of thealfalfa crop system, Dr. Gerlachdelivered a compelling story thatexplains how this weed rapidlybecame so widely established. Hispresentation provoked thoughtabout the deep impacts humanshave had on other species and howmuch we have yet to learn aboutliving within the functional confinesof the ecosystems that we rely uponfor our collective survival and pros-perity.

Proceedings of the CalEPPCSymposium �97 are available for$10 (delivery in Summer 1998).Submit requests to: CalEPPC, c/oSally Davis, 31872 Joshua Drive,Apt. 25D, Trabuco Canyon, CA92679-3112.

Fort Ord (cont�d)

help of the Americorps, the Califor-nia Conservation Corps, and volun-teers, began a manual assault oniceplant (Carpobrotus edulis) on thedunes, and French broom (Genistamonspessulana), Scotch broom(Cytisus scoparius), and Pampasgrass (Cortaderia jubata) in dis-turbed soil along trails, firebreaks,and road sides.

It quickly became obvious thatthe manual removal of non-nativeswas not up to the task at Fort Ord.Of the 886 coastal dune acres, 376acres are covered with iceplant. Onthe 7,200 acres currently underBLM management, and the approxi-mate 8,000 acres slated for futuretransferral to the BLM, iceplantcovers a probable 500 acres. Anestimated 400 acres of pampasgrass infests those current and futurepublic lands, and French and Scotchbroom, in various patches, coversabout 50 acres.

On former Fort Ord�s publiclands the degree of �noxicity� isdetermined by the existing coverageof the exotics the second annual Waron Weeds Symposium at formerFort Ord for November 1998. Afield trip is planned so participantscan view cooperative weed eradica-tion projects and the thousands ofacres of rare habitats that the �weedwarriors� are attempting to preserve.We owe a debt to the Army and theconservationists over thepast 50 years thatwildlands remain topreserve atFort Ord.

CalEPPC News


Tuolumne/Calaveras Partnership Against Weeds

Tuolumne/Calaveras counties have recently formed a group geared towardseducating the public on noxious weed. Our group is made up of several govern-

ment agencies (CAC, USFS, CDFG, NRCS, Farm Advisor, etc.) and private partieswho have a common goal of seeing a control or slow down to invasive weeds in thecentral Sierra. Our main focus is to educate the public on what are noxious orinvasive weeds. The group has identified 12 weeds of local importance: yellowstarthistle, spotted knapweed, Russian thistle, medusahead, puncture vine, Italianthistle, klamath weed, tarweed, brooms, and cocklebur.

If you can give us any assistance or comments on getting started it will begreatly appreciated. Our first goal is to publish a pamphlet of the 12 weeds to atleast get the public informed on what we are focusing on. Please contact MarianChambers, email: <[email protected]>or 2 S. Green St. Sonora, CA 95370,209-533-5691

The War on Weeds mini-grant initiative will provide funding opportunities on a competitive basis for weed projectswithin California. A total of $15,000 is available for 1998. This year ALL projects must provide at least a 1:1

match. In order of priority, the categories are:

1. Educational projects that will have statewide benefits.

2. Research projects that will develop new technology or approaches that will be useful for on-the-ground projects.

3. Cooperative weed projects that involve Federal agencies, State & County agencies, non-profit groups, and privatelandowners (i.e. Weed Management Areas)

* Only proposals that are submitted or endorsed by one or more of the signatory agencies of the California NoxiousWeed MOU (http://www.ca.blm.gov/weeds) will be considered. Proposals cannot be submitted by BLM, although theinvolvement or support of BLM will result in a higher priority.

Grant Application Deadline: July 7, 1998 Grant Award Date: July 15, 1998

For more information please call Anne Knox (916) 978-4645. Send proposals to Anne Knox, Bureau of LandManagement, 2135 Butano Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825. If you do not have a proposal, but wish to potentiallycontribute matching funds to worthy projects, please provide contact information and the type of project you wish tosupport.

War on Weeds Mini-GrantA Request for Proposals by the Bureau of Land Mangement, California

Exotic Pest Plants ofGreatest EcologicalConcern in California

The California Exotic Pest PlantCouncil will be revising our list,

Exotic Pest Plants of GreatestEcological Concern in California,later this year. Please send newinformation on plants currently listedor plants being proposed as addi-tions to the list to: Ann Howald, 210Chestnut Avenue, Sonoma, CA95476. Please send your informa-tion on the �Request for Informa-tion� form provided in the August1996 edition of the list. If you havesent in changes in the past, there isno need to resubmit. The deadlinefor submitting new information isJune 1, 1998. If you do not have acopy of the August 1996 edition ofthe list, please contact Sally Davis at714.888.8347, email:<[email protected]> and provideyour name and address for a copy.

ERRATUMIn Vol. 5 No. 4, Battling the Kudzuof the West, �Cape ivy� was re-ferred to as �cape ivy.� Cape ivy isthe convention used by the Austra-lians, from whom we have takeninspiration and with whom we needto keep faith on this to get a uniformusage.

CalEPPC News


The California Exotic Pest Plant Council�s Pampas Grass Research, Control and Education Grants Program hasselected the following proposals for funding under the program:

YEAR 1

1. Management of jubata grass (Cortaderia jubata): germination biology, seedling establishment, control & siterestoration [research project] Joe DiTomaso, Jennifer Drewitz & Alison Tschol (U. California, Davis). $30,000

2. Wildland Restoration Team�s focus on pampas grass: education, control, and sharing information WildlandsRestoration Team (contact, Ken Moore). $7,000

3. Pampas grass control within the Big Sur Management Area. (GIS mapping project) Jeff Kwasny (Los PadresNational Forest). $4,000

4. Pampas grass control demonstration project, Goleta Slough Management Area, Santa Barbara County, CA.Santa Barbara Audubon Society, Inc. (contact, Darlene Chirman). $18,975

5. Pampas grass control: an instructional video and outreach campaign. Leif Joslyn (Xenobiota Control, Ltd.).$28,950

6. Development of a Jubata Grass (Cortaderia jubata) and Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) brochure. JoeDiTomaso and Evelyn Healy (University of California, Davis). $9,000

7. Arana Gulch pampas grass eradication program (Santa Cruz, CA) Natural Resources and Employment Program,Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc. (contact: Tom Helman). $17,935

YEAR 2

1. Management of jubata grass (Cortaderia jubata): germination biology, seedling establishment, control & siterestoration [research project] Joe DiTomaso, Jennifer Drewitz & Alison Tschol (U. California, Davis). $30,000



YEAR 3

1. Management of jubata grass (Cortaderia jubata): germination biology, seedling establishment, control & siterestoration [research project] Joe DiTomaso, Jennifer Drewitz & Alison Tschol (University of California, Davis).$30,000



Pampas Grass Research, Controland Education Grants ProgramJohn M. Randall, Ph.D, TNC Weed Program

CalEPPC News


CalEPPC would like to welcome thefollowing people who have joined CalEPPCin the months from November 1997through February 1998:

CalEPPC New Members

Regular MembersJeanne DickeyMitch EnglishValerie EvinerPhyllis FaberPhilip HoehnLawrence JanewayKathy KramerMarcia MannDenis PhilbinJohn RoblesEdward SmithDaniel TolsonLinda WillisDavid Wimpfheimer

Jepson Herbarium ClassesFor information contact: Susan D�Alcamo, Jepson Herbarium, 510.643.7008, email:<[email protected]>

May 1 - 3 Ecological Habitat Restoration, Pam Muick, Solano CountyExamine wetlands on Suisun Marsh and vernal pools at Jepson Prairie, was well as grasslands and oak woodlands, comparing different restoration techniques.

May 2 - 3 Poaceae, Travis ColumbusUnderstand the state�s secondmost diverse plant family (after Compositae). Time will be spent learning to usethe identification keys in the Jepson Manual, with special attention to difficult couplets and taxa.

May 15 - 17 Northern Dune Ecology, Bruce Pavlic, Eastern CaliforniaDesert sand dune ecology begins in Bishop, then on to Panamint and Death Valleys, and culminate with acamp-out in Eureka Valley.

May 23 - 24 Compositae, Bruce Baldwin and John StrotherTopis will include overviews of characters used in circumscription, classification, and identification of compos-ites at tribal, subtribal, and generic ranks.

June 12 - 14 Southern Sierra Flora and Ecology, Jim Shevock, Sequoia/Kings CanyonField excursions will focus on the diversity of plant communities and numerous geological formations whichprovide the backdrop for an evaluation of the flora.

June 19 - 21Boraginaceae, Ron Kelley, Sierra Nevada Field Campus, Yuba PassThis weekend workshop will focus on montane and Great Basin members of the family with field `identification of genera and species flowering in the vicinity of the station and montane areas of California.

Contributing MembersMartha BlaneElkhorn Native Plant NurseryMitch EnglishRobert GilbertRosemary JonesMary Platter-RiegerPeter Slattery

Sustaining MembersArthur MorleyWilliam McCoyNancy Brownfield

Lifetime MemberElizabeth Crispin

CalEPPC SponsorsUSGS Biological ServiceMonsanto CompanyAgriChemical & SupplyCA State Parks, SacramentoCircuit Riders ProductionCity of Palm DesertGolden Gate National Park

AssociationHuntington LibraryNature�s ImageOcean Trails ManagementPestmaster Services, BishopRedwood National ParkRiverside Co. Regional Parks &

Open SpaceSmith & Reynolds Erosion

ControlStrybing ArboretumTarget Speciality ProductsTom Dodson & AssociatesUS Fish & Wildlife Service,

Honolulu

1998 CalEPPC Membership Form

q Status Individual Institutional

q Retired/Student* $15.00 N/A

q Regular $25.00 $100.00

q Contributing $50.00 $250.00

q Sustaining $250.00 $1000.00

q Lifetime $1000.00 N/A

Please make your check payable to CalEPPC andmail with this application form to:

CalEPPC Membershipc/o Sally Davis31872 Joshua Drive, #25DTrabuco Canyon, CA 92679-3112

If you would like to join CalEPPC, please remit your calendar dues using the form provided below. All members willreceive the CalEPPC newsletter, be eligible to join CalEPPC working groups, be invited to the annual symposium andparticipate in selecting future board members. Your personal involvement and financial support are the key to success.Additional contributions by present members are welcomed!

Name

Affiliation

Address

City/State/Zip

Office Phone

Home Phone

Fax

email

* Students, please include current registration and/or class schedule

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTRABUCO CANYON, CA

PERMIT NO. 731872 Joshua Drive, #25DTrabuco Canyon, CA 92679-3112

Calendar of EventsMay 17 - 22 3rd Annual Short Course on Constructed Wetlands for Water Quality Improvement,Arcata, CA. Sponsored by Humboldt State University Environmental Resources Eng. Dept. Contact: Barbara Smith,707.826.3619, fax 707.826.3616, email: <[email protected]> or <http://www.humboldt1.com/~water>

May 27 -30 Specialty Conference on Rangeland Management & Water Resources, Reno, NV. Spon-sored by American Water Resources Assoc. and the Society for Range Management. Contact: Don Potts,406.243.6622, email: <[email protected]> or <http://www.uwin.siu.edu/~awra/meetings/reno98/reno98.html>

June 17 Arundo and Tamarisk Workshop, Ontario, CA. Sponsored by CalEPPC. Contact: NelroyJackson, 909.279.7787, email: <[email protected]>

July 5 - 9 Balancing Resource Issues: Land, Water, People, San Diego, CA. Sponsored by the Soil &Water Conservation Society. Contact: Sue Ballantine, 515.289.2331, ext. 16, email: <[email protected]>

October 2 - 4 Working Smart, Working Together. CalEPPC Symposium �98, Ontario, CA. Contact: SallyDavis, 714.888.8541, email: <[email protected]>

CALIFORNIAEXOTICPEST PLANTCOUNCIL

Documents

CalEPPC News - California Invasive Plant Council · Slide Collection Tony Bomkamp 714.837.0404 Species Management & Control: ... Americorps Troops manually attack Pampas grass invading