Cornell Grant Supports Fight Against Aggressive Invasive Plant Along the Wolf
Protecting land from conversion to non-conservation land cover types (think subdivisions, sand/gravel mining, etc.) is in many cases just the first step in the land conservation process. Increasingly, there is an ongoing need to manage to maintain, restore, or enhance biodiversity.
The Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative awarded the Conservancy the opportunity to restore highly visible and impactful lands. Focusing on the western cornerstone property of the Ghost River State Natural Area, we have removed and treated over 10 acres of invasive plant species. Most recently, we contracted with Invasive Plant Control to strategically apply herbicide on a highly invasive nonnative plant species Murdannia keisak. This invasive plant was introduced into the U.S. decades ago but is just recently hitting Wolf River habitats like a freight train. There are no insects, pests, or diseases in the U.S. to keep it in check. In open marshes, it can completely take over a site – excluding all other native species from growing. Our treatment of this species is an experiment to see how well native species can recolonize areas that were once 100% nonnative Murdannia.
To learn more about this restoration effort, watch this presentation:
Protecting land from conversion to non-conservation land cover types (think subdivisions, sand/gravel mining, etc.) is in many cases just the first step in the land conservation process. Increasingly, there is an ongoing need to manage to maintain, restore, or enhance biodiversity.
