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1. 01/06 Salt Cedar/Russian Olive Control in Riparian Areas
Slade Franklin
Weed and Pest Coordinator
Wyoming Department of Agriculture
2. 01/06
3. 01/06 Noxious Weed Control in Wyoming Weed & Pest Districts
One district per county (23 districts)
Primary function: Implement an effective program on Designated weeds and pests. W.S. 11-5-105(a)
Secondary function: Implement an effective program on Declared weeds and pests. W.S. 11-5-105(b)
4. 01/06 Noxious Weed Control in Wyoming Designated weeds
Districts MUST implement an effective program.
5. 01/06 Noxious Weed Control in Wyoming Declared weeds
Districts MAY participate in a control program
Big Horn County 31 species (Russian Olive, Halogeton)
Teton County 16 species (Russian Olive, Orange Hawkweed)
Washakie County 27 species (Russian Olive, Squarrose knapweed, Yellowstar thistle)
Hot Springs County 4 species (Russian Olive, wild oats)
6. 01/06 Noxious Weed Control in Wyoming Why do we care?
Economic loss (examples)
Leafy spurge costs producers and taxpayers an estimated $144 million a year in just four states alone (Montana, Wyoming and North and South Dakota).
Field bindweed can reduce crop yields 50-60% by dense infestations.
Heavy infestations of Canada thistle growing in corn, soybeans and wheat have been shown to reduce yields by 81%, 95% and 60%, respectively. Heavy infestations growing in pasturelands can reduce native grasses production by as much as 60%.
It is estimated that $16 - $44 million dollars of hydropower generation is lost annually due to the salt cedar invasion in the United States.
7. 01/06 Noxious Weed Control in Wyoming Why do we care?
Environmental (examples)
Noxious key word.
On National Forest System (NFS) lands, an estimated 6-7 million acres are currently infested and potentially increasing at a rate of 8 to 12% per year.
On Federal lands in the Western United States, it is estimated that weeds occur on more than 17 million acres
Threatened and endangered species, including the bog turtle in the northeastern US, are impacted by monotypic stands of purple loosestrife that replace native vegetation.
Sage grouse population declines may be linked to invasion of noxious weeds such as cheatgrass.
Salt cedar consumes water on average 35% more rapidly than native vegetation, causing the water table to drop, and lowering the level of lakes.
Spotted knapweed infestations in some areas of Montana have reduced winter elk forage by 50- 90%.
8. 01/06 Noxious Weed Control in Wyoming Why do we care?
Human impacts
Giant Hogweed - the sap can produce painful, burning blisters within one to two days of contact
Vipers bugloss, Larkspur, Poison Hemlock contact dermatitis for humans
Leafy spurge causes severe eye irritation and possibly blindness in humans
9. 01/06 Salt Cedar
10. 01/06 Salt Cedar History
Native to Southwestern Asia
Eight Species have been introduced in the US since 1823
Planted as wind breaks and stream bank stabilization
Escaped cultivation by 1870
By 1920 was becoming a serious problem in the southwest
11. 01/06 Salt Cedar Identification
Shrubby bush or tree that can range in size from 5 to 20 feet tall
The bark is a reddish brown
The leaves are small and flat and resemble evergreen shrubs
Flowers are pink to white in color
Long woody taproot
12. 01/06 Salt Cedar Why is it a problem?
Increases soil salinity
Secrets salt inhibiting native plant growth
Creates a monoculture
Increased wildfire frequency
Readily burnable
Capable of thriving in post-fire conditions
Increased frequency and tendency of flooding
Impede high flows
Restriction of water ways increases sedimentation
13. 01/06 Salt Cedar Why is it a problem?
Water Consumption
Depends mainly on ground water
ONE healthy mature plant uses approx. 80 to 120 gallons of water a day.
Twice as much as most native plants
The average household water use 69.3 gallons per person
14. 01/06 Salt Cedar Water Availability
University of Kansas Quantifying ground-water savings by tamarisk control (2005 Kluitenberg)
35-40% reduction of ground water use.
Pecos River, Texas below the New Mexico State line
Preliminary analysis indicates saltcedar control may yield as much as a 60% to 70% reduction in water loss
Eagle Borax Works Springs Death Valley
8 weeks post controlled burn water raised 1.2 feet and ponds reappeared after being absent for 20 years
Spring Lake, New Mexico
Salt Cedar dried up a 13 acre lake by 1968, after herbicide control in 1989 water table returned
15. 01/06 Salt Cedar Wyoming
122,000 acres
Big Horn 50,000
Laramie, Sublette, Converse <1
Colorado
55,000 acres
New Mexico
500,000 acres
Kansas
50,000 acres
2000 study showed that it was more economically feasible to combat salt cedar than to look for alternative mechanisms to obtain water. (Zalaveta 2000)
16. 01/06
17. 01/06
18. 01/06 Noxious Weed Control in Wyoming Riparian Areas
Salt Cedar
Missouri River watershed
Limited control options
Produces over 100,000 seeds per shrub
Over 100 million acres in the western U.S.
Pecos River (Washington) could be dried up by 2010
19. 01/06 Russian Olive
20. 01/06 Russian Olive History
Native to Southern Europe and Asia
Introduced in US during colonial times
Promoted for plantings in the west starting in 1906
It has been a popular shrub for windbreaks, shelterbelts and wildlife habitat in semi-arid and saline environments because of its adaptability.
In the west, it was reported as escaping from cultivation in the 1940's to 1960's.
21. 01/06 Russian Olive Identification
Large, spiny deciduous tree
Thorny branches
Leaves are dull green to grey color
Mature tree bark is rigid and wrinkled
In summer blooms yellow flowers
Berry like fruit
Deep tap root
22. 01/06
23. 01/06 Russian Olive Why is it a problem?
Increased frequency and tendency of flooding
Out competes native vegetation
Highly invasive in riparian areas
Considered inferior habitat for birds and fish
Consumes high quantities of water then native plants
Creates a monoculture
24. 01/06 Russian Olive Very little is know about Russian Olive and water consumption.
One New Mexico study suggests Russian olive evapotranspiration rates might by nearly double that of cottonwood.
Most control observations closely associate it with a similar impact as Salt Cedar.
Most research has been tied into Salt Cedar research
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28. 01/06 State(s) where reported invasive*: AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MD, MI, MN, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OK, OR, PA, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI
*Information from Swearingen, J. 2006. WeedUS database, Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas. Plant Conservation
Alliance, Alien Plant Working Group. http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/list/WeedUS.xls
**Map generated by http://douweosinga.com/projects/visitedstates.
29. 01/06
30. 01/06 Recent Activities Russian Olive Resolution
Headwater Coalition
North Platte River Mapping Inquiry
Salt Cedar and Russian Olive Control Demonstration Act
Enacted 09/06
Sponsored by Rep. Pearce (NM)
Co-sponsored Rep. Cubin (1 of 9)
No Allocation
31. 01/06
32. 01/06 Questions