[MAIPC] Stiltgrass control

Tue Sep 24 04:17:39 PDT 2013

Since the same sudden expansion occurred with beefsteak plant as with
Japanese Stiltgrass at the 200 acre Swann Park in Southern Maryland, the
question is what explanation would work for both species?

Marc Imlay, PhD,
Conservation biologist, Park Ranger Office 
Non-native Invasive Plant Control coordinator. 
 <blocked::blocked::tel:(301) 442-5657> 301) 442-5657 cell
 <blocked::blocked::mailto:ialm at erols.com> ialm at erols.com
Natural and Historical Resources Division
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
www.pgparks.com

  _____  

From: maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org [mailto:maipc-bounces at lists.maipc.org]
On Behalf Of Margaret Chatham
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2013 7:09 PM
To: Steve Young; Landandforest
Cc: maipc at lists.maipc.org
Subject: Re: [MAIPC] Stiltgrass control

I can definitely cite Fraser Preserve in Northern Virginia as an example of
stilt grass growing exuberantly in the shade under high canopy, but fading
out in a ring around lower-growing, more densely shading trees such as young
beech & maple, pawpaw, American holly, and blackhaw.

Margaret Chatham
Falls Church, VA

On 9/23/13 5:20 PM, "Steve Young" <steveyoung at aol.com> wrote:

The other issue with deer is that they spread around Microstegium seed from
their hooves and fur as they travel, so that infestations appear to grow
faster and denser where there are many deer. We humans also are culprits in
spreading the seed via our own disturbance. In Northern Virginia, I have
seen dense stiltgrass stands in fairly shady areas, so I am not convinced
that shading makes that much difference. although surely it helps. Any way
you look at it, the deer contribute to the problem. Cheers,

Steve Young
Arlington VA

On Mon, Sep 23, 2013 at 3:54 PM, Landandforest <landandforest at gmail.com>
wrote:

I agree that deer management should be utilized as another tool In the
toolbox of IPM as well as light manipulation and herbicides to combat
invasives. I have noticed the ring around American beech where I currently
am applying pre-emergent control for next growing season in heavily infested
forest stands of Japanese stilt grass and mile-a-minute. I wish we could get
the Crummies Creek virus or blight to infest our stilt grass populations in
south central PA and central MD.

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 23, 2013, at 3:49 PM, <rachel at fohvos.org> wrote:

Unfortunately, deer do not eat the stiltgrass. 

Deer browse the natives, which has left the forests of central NJ without a
sapling, shrub, and herb layer. More light reaches the forest floor.

In healthy forests, with less deer pressure, there native plants below the
canopy level. These plants create a level of shade that significantly
reduces or eliminates the presence of stiltgrass. 

I've observed this to be true in upland, mesic, and lowland forests. 

I'd been interested if anyone else has observed the stiltgrass-free ring
that occurs beneath a robust shrub or sapling.

Deer management is a great tool in invasive species control, right next to
herbicide. 

Rachel

Rachel Mackow
Land Steward / NJISST Central Region Coordinator 

Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space
P.O. Box 395, Pennington, NJ 08534
Tel: (609) 730-1560 <tel:%28609%29%20730-1560>    Fax: (609) 730-1561
<tel:%28609%29%20730-1561> 
http://www.fohvos.org/

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [MAIPC] Stiltgrass control
From: Kathi Mestayer <kwren at widomaker.com>
Date: Mon, September 23, 2013 3:20 pm
To: <rachel at fohvos.org>
Cc: maipc at lists.maipc.org

wow.  Send some of your deer down our way....ours aren't eating the
stiltgrass at all.  And it's flourishing in full shade.  Maybe that's just
because it's so much hotter down here?
k

Kathi Mestayer
KMA Consulting
105 Gilley Drive
Williamsburg, Va 23188
kwren at widomaker.com
757-229-6575 <tel:757-229-6575> 
757-229-9396 <tel:757-229-9396>  (fax)

"There are 10 kinds of people -- people who understand binary and people who
don't."
- Anon.

On Sep 23, 2013, at 12:37 PM, <rachel at fohvos.org> wrote:

Hi Marc,
In forest habitats, Stiltgrass is usually controlled by shade cast by native
seedlings, shrubs and small trees, as well as herbs and grasses. Most of
these forms of plant life are browsed excessively, however...

In deer exclosures, jewelweed is a great control method. Is deer management
an option on the preserve and adjacent parcels?

On a very limited basis, I have smothered the seeds with oak leaves removed
from my driveway. I placed the leaves in a forest exclosure beneath a red
maple canopy.  This is feasible in garden-like situations.

Rachel

Rachel Mackow
Land Steward / NJISST Central Region Coordinator 

Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space
P.O. Box 395, Pennington, NJ 08534
Tel: (609) 730-1560 <tel:%28609%29%20730-1560>  Fax: (609) 730-1561
<tel:%28609%29%20730-1561> 
http://www.fohvos.org  <http://www.fohvos.org/> <http://www.fohvos.org/> /

 -------- Original Message --------
 Subject: Re: [MAIPC] Stiltgrass control
 From: Bruce Barbour <barbour at RCE.Rutgers.edu>
 Date: Wed, September 04, 2013 10:42 am
 To: maipc at lists.maipc.org

Marc,
 I notice you did mention herbicides. Research has shown effectiveness of
crabgrass pre-emergent herbicides on stiltgrass and, if the site warrants
it, you can also kill stiltgrass with post emergent selective grass
herbicides such as Poast and Fusilaide. Of course, depending on your state
law and the material selected there may be a requirement to have the
application done by a certified pesticide applicator.
 Bruce
 ================================================== Bruce Barbour Voice:
908-475-6505 <tel:908-475-6505>  Ag & Resource Management Agent Fax:
908-475-6514 <tel:908-475-6514>  Rutgers Cooperative Extension Mobile:
908-309-7660 <tel:908-309-7660>  RCE of Warren County 165 Route 519 South
Belvidere, N.J. 07823-1949 Internet: Barbour at Aesop.Rutgers.Edu
===================================================== Learn more about the
Rutgers Environmental Stewards at http://envirostewards.rutgers.edu/ On
9/4/2013 8:00 AM, Marc Imlay wrote:

How is Japanese Stiltgrass control going on in your park? 

This year I have had the ability to only remove all the Japanese Stiltgrass
over 150 acres at the 200 acre Ruth B. Swann Park in Charles county, MD. We
have removed all the stiltgrass every year since 2004. It should be gone
since the seed bank is supposed to be only 5 years. When I removed all the
stiltgrass in the 200 acre Swann Park in the last decade stiltgrass was gone
by the 5th year and almost gone by the 4th year.

So what has changed? Climate change is one answer. For the past few years in
an open area at Swann Park I would remove all the stilt gras and beefsteak
plant in July and come back in late August to remove late emergents. The
amount of work in August was only 10% of the amount of work in July. Now it
is an equal amount. In fact, I had to remove beefsteak plant 3 times to be
sure I got late emergents. 

Other explanations include deer movement and movement of stiltgrass down
streams. 90 % of the massive new populations that have sudenly apppeared at
Swann Park are not near streams and not where people use the park. Deer may
be more effective in bringing in stiltgrass since the areas contiguous with
Swann Park are now covered with stiltgrass so it is easier to come in. So
stiltgrass is probably moving in by deer and water from abundant sources
from outside of the park. 

In conclusion, we have three choices. We can apply for a large crew to join
us to control stiltgrass. 

Or we can give up. 

For a third choice please look for stiltgrass dying from leaf blight. My
major concern about waiting for the leaf blight bio-control to become
available years from now is stiltgrass moving in to the massive pristine
areas of the 200 acre park.  I found one such patch, about 10' x 20' in
early September last year in the middle of Swann Park. I left the contiguous
stiltgrass untreated slightly down the hill for about 20' and will check it
out next week. If you find such a patch there are researchers that may be
interested in looking at the patch. 

Marc Imlay, PhD 
 Chair of the Biodiversity and Habitat Stewardship Committee for the
Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club.

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