[MAIPC] deer exclosures and JSG

[Marc Imlay]

Many studies have shown that when deer are present at 20/square mile or
less, there is a dramatic reduction in the cases of Lyme disease. Here are
some parks with this lower deer density of 20/square mile as a result of
managed hunts. Can someone find out how much the reduction of deer density
has resulted in reduction of Japanese Stilt grass? One urgent research
question is to determine if reduction of deer to the natural level of
20/square mile works as well as deer exclosures in reducing JSG.

Howard County

 <https://www.howardcountymd.gov/MPEA> Middle Patuxent Environmental area 

 <https://www.howardcountymd.gov/MeadowbrookPark> Meadowbrook Park

 <https://www.howardcountymd.gov/SchooleyMillPark> Schooley Mill Park

 <https://www.howardcountymd.gov/WesternRegionalPark> Western Regional Park
 <https://www.nps.gov/rocr/index.htm> Rock Creek National Park in Washington
D.C. adjacent to Montgomery County
 <https://www.nps.gov/cato/index.htm> Catoctin Mountain National Park in
Frederick County

 

 

Hi Marc - as you probably know, the Woodend Sanctuary of ANS now has a deer
fence. I am on a team monitoring the unrestored meadow, which used to be
infested with stlltgass. Native forbs and grasses have taken over with very
little JSG to be seen. The changes are being documented - in my meadow, the
restored meadow, woodlands and stream. Heartening!

 

Marney

 

On Jun 23, 2018, at 10:35 AM, Marc Imlay <ialm at erols.com
<mailto:ialm at erols.com> > wrote:

 

In the 200 acre Swann Park in Charles County, there are 3 places where I
have seen a pathogen infestation of Japanese Stilt grass. Only one of these
sites has been re infested in subsequent years. Today I transferred some of
the site with an August pathogen infestation of Japanese Stilt grass that
has been re infested in subsequent years to a bad patch of JSG elsewhere in
the park with similar habitat. (from the Mattawoman watershed part of Swann
Park to the Pomonkey watershed component of Ruth B. Swann Park). I marked
the site and will return to check it out each month. 

 

Let us discuss other ideas to address control of our most difficult invasive
plant to control.  One urgent research question is to determine if reduction
of deer to the natural level of 20/square mile works as well as deer
exclosures in reducing JSG. How can we facilitate research into native host
specific biological controls of JSG.

 

 

 Marc Imlay, PhD, Chair, MAIPC Biological control working Group,  MD Chapter
Sierra Club Natural Places Chair. 

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

 



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