Invasive Species Management in AFSPC

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Invasive Species Management in AFSPC
Ms. Mary Anderson HQ AFSPC/A7VP
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"On a global basis...the two great destroyers of
biodiversity are, first habitat destruction and,
second, invasion by exotic species - E.O.
Wilson
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Approach

• Accomplished to date
• Surveys
• Development of control plans
• Control Actions
• Acres controlled by species
• Acres controlled by habitat
• Future Focus
• Top 10 Hit list

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Surveys

• Used NPS Handbook for Ranking Exotic Plants for
  Management and Control
• 15 bases
• Command strategic plan accomplished
• Surveys identified 36K acres infested
• Infestations extent mapped and density noted
• Infestations ranked
• Command Summary
• Road map for PPB decision making
• Incorporated into IPMP and INRMP
• In FY06, increased number of sites surveyed by 9
  (AFSSS) across S. US
• No data as yet

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Maps of Surveyed Sites
FY04 Survey of 15 main bases
FY06 Survey of 9 AFSSS
San Diego, CA Elephant Butte, NM Gila River,
AZ Lake Kickapoo, TX Red River, AR
Silver Lake, MS Jordan Lake, AL Hawkinsville,
GA Tattenal, GA
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Development of control plans

• Pre-field work to identify invasives by area
• Contractor visited each site in one season
• Team consistent, one person for all sites
• Located weed patches
• GPS either extant or individuals (shape or point)
• Filled out form for all populations
• Calculated value and plotted
• Feasibility of control verses Significance of
  Impact
• Report
• Species descriptions
• Control recommendation
• Plotted data and GPS data
• Command Summary

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Control Actions

• Acres controlled by species
• FY06
• 35,907 acres surveyed
• 3,916 acres controlled
• 10.9 controlled
• Methods of control
• Prescribed burns
• Hand pulling
• Mowing
• Biocontrol
• Herbicide (11 gt )

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Future Focus

• Finalize AFSSS IPMP and invasive species control
  plans
• Update the Commanders Summary
• Push for non-chemical treatments
• Biocontrols
• Rx burns
• Mowing
• Re-GPS treated populations
• Develop and field monitoring form/methodology
• Easy, one-page, in-house
• GPS and photo-points
• Determine success of control
• Re-do survey 5-10 years

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Top 10 Hit List
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Questions??