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The Global Invasive Species Team | |
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Global Invasive Species Team listserve digest #043 Thu, 23 Sep 1999 22:29:14 -0700 (PDT) --CONTENTS-- 1. Weed-eating goats with phytotoxic saliva? 2. Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plants Conference in November 3. Goats against catbrier and multiflora rose 4. Have weed laws been used against you? --------------------------------------- 1. Weed-eating goats with phytotoxic saliva? From: Chris Maron (cmaron(at)tnc.org) I have heard of farmers tieing up goats near multiflora rose patches to control the patches. The person who told me this also said the goats had something in their saliva that hindered regrowth. Whether this an "old farmers' tale", I don't know but I have heard others talk about using goats in this manner for other invasive species. --------------------------------------- 2. Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plants Conference in November From: Betsy Lyman (blyman(at)tnc.org) Betsy sent John and me information on an invasive plants conference that will be held in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, November 3-4. The Pennsylvania Field Office is involved with organizing this, so it should have a hands-on focus. I have posted the complete itinerary on our web site at: http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/news/090799.html The schedule is posted in Word and Adobe Acrobat -- Barry --------------------------------------- 3. Goats against catbrier and multiflora rose From: Betsy Lyman (blyman(at)tnc.org) Investigating how to reverse woody succession and restore the grasslands and savannas at one of our serpentine barrens sites, we tried knocking back woody vegetation using various combinations of fire, herbicides, bulldozing, and goats. The goats were very good at knocking back the catbrier (Smilax spp. -- an invasive native) that was overrunning the area, as well as the oaks and other trees that were coming in. They also ate some of the grasses and forbs we wanted to remain, but we rotated the goats to other pens once they had exhausted the Smilax so they didn't appear to really hurt the grasses. We did this for two years, housing the goats offsite during the winters. The data is still being processed, but from an eyeball survey, the goats seemed to have a greater impact on the Smilax than did our fire treatment. We have been told by the farmers from whom we bought the goats that the animals have been very effective in clearing their fields of multiflora rose. Our problem with using livestock is that we have to set up appropriate fencing and have someone local to the site feed and care for the animals, so we don't use them unless we get a specific grant for that purpose. --------------------------------------- 4. Have weed laws been used against you? From: Barry Rice (bamrice(at)ucdavis.edu) A number of TNC preserves have weeds that are legally listed as "noxious". Have there been any cases where these laws have been used against you or caused you grief? An anonymous weedy preserve would like to know. :) |
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