And in the Sierra National Forest, a pristine protected landscape of 1.3 million acres, Centaurea solstitialis, or yellow star thistle, and Carduus pycnocephalus, or Italian thistle, are two especially aggressive interlopers. The thistles were first introduced into the area in the mid-1800’s as a contaminant in hay and seed, and have now infested millions of acres with their dense thickets, choking out native plants and making large tracts of land impassable to humans and animals.
Farmers, however, are all too familiar with the problem of invasive plant species as they protect their crops from weeds. So, it’s not too surprising that forest managers have adopted many of their practices and tools. Some practices for forest management include grinding, mowing, submergence, light starvation, or grazing animals to eradicate certain invasive plants. But with precise application, herbicides can be the best option, especially when plants are well established, and mechanically removing them is difficult or could trigger erosion.
Using herbicides correctly, and according to their labels, is an effective and safe way to help manage our forests and guard them against these invasive species. And each herbicide approved for forest use comes with decades of research and testing prior to being authorized. A 2015 report from the U.S. Forest Service explains, “Though the use of herbicides is permitted on national forests, each herbicide must be field-tested, and an environmental analysis must be completed and approved before the herbicide can be included in the Integrated Weed/Pest Management Plan established.
Joanna Clines, a botanist with the U.S. Forest Service, has been battling invasives for more than 30 years. Recently, she’s had good success with targeted applications of herbicides. The seasoned forest steward notes that "invasive weed spread is kind of like a wildfire- if you find and put the fire out when it’s still small, like an abandoned campfire, you can prevent it from growing. Finding the first plant or small patch of invasive weeds before they produce seeds and treating or removing them promptly is similar."
Clines takes a no-nonsense approach to her work eradicating invasive plants, saying, “I am now completely convinced we can’t win this battle against invasives damaging the land without the full toolbox. We need herbicides in the toolbox.” Clines takes a methodical approach when it comes to protecting the treasured Sierra landscape, with its pristine alpine lakes and thriving animal populations. When it comes to using herbicides, she stresses, “It’s a science and an art. You have to pay attention to what you’re doing. I take it seriously that herbicides need to be respected, label instructions must be read and followed, and pesticide laws and regulations understood and followed.”
And in the Sierra National Forest, a pristine protected landscape of 1.3 million acres, Centaurea solstitialis, or yellow star thistle, and Carduus pycnocephalus, or Italian thistle, are two especially aggressive interlopers. The thistles were first introduced into the area in the mid-1800’s as a contaminant in hay and seed, and have now infested millions of acres with their dense thickets, choking out native plants and making large tracts of land impassable to humans and animals.
Farmers, however, are all too familiar with the problem of invasive plant species as they protect their crops from weeds. So, it’s not too surprising that forest managers have adopted many of their practices and tools. Some practices for forest management include grinding, mowing, submergence, light starvation, or grazing animals to eradicate certain invasive plants. But with precise application, herbicides can be the best option, especially when plants are well established, and mechanically removing them is difficult or could trigger erosion.
Using herbicides correctly, and according to their labels, is an effective and safe way to help manage our forests and guard them against these invasive species. And each herbicide approved for forest use comes with decades of research and testing prior to being authorized. A 2015 report from the U.S. Forest Service explains, “Though the use of herbicides is permitted on national forests, each herbicide must be field-tested, and an environmental analysis must be completed and approved before the herbicide can be included in the Integrated Weed/Pest Management Plan established.
Joanna Clines, a botanist with the U.S. Forest Service, has been battling invasives for more than 30 years. Recently, she’s had good success with targeted applications of herbicides. The seasoned forest steward notes that "invasive weed spread is kind of like a wildfire- if you find and put the fire out when it’s still small, like an abandoned campfire, you can prevent it from growing. Finding the first plant or small patch of invasive weeds before they produce seeds and treating or removing them promptly is similar."
Clines takes a no-nonsense approach to her work eradicating invasive plants, saying, “I am now completely convinced we can’t win this battle against invasives damaging the land without the full toolbox. We need herbicides in the toolbox.” Clines takes a methodical approach when it comes to protecting the treasured Sierra landscape, with its pristine alpine lakes and thriving animal populations. When it comes to using herbicides, she stresses, “It’s a science and an art. You have to pay attention to what you’re doing. I take it seriously that herbicides need to be respected, label instructions must be read and followed, and pesticide laws and regulations understood and followed.”
