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Controlling Invasive Plants after the King Fire
Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) surveys and treatments to control invasive plants are being implemented in the King Fire area to help control fire-induced expansion of pre-existing infestations and to prevent establishment of new infestations. Due to ground disturbance during fire suppression and the lack of competing native vegetation as a result of the fire, there is a high risk of invasive species establishing and spreading in the burned area.
Seeds of invasive plants are potentially dispersed by equipment and crews, rehabilitation, and post-fire activities. This can harm native plant communities and ecosystem function because invasive species can alter fire and nutrient regimes, degrade wildlife habitat and browse, and form dense monocultures that exclude native plants.
Yellow starthistle is a winter annual that can form dense impenetrable stands which displace desirable vegetation in natural areas, rangelands, and other places. The 2015 growing season is a critical time for EDRR surveys and treatments in the King Fire area. New infestations are easiest to eradicate when they are small and numerous seeds are not yet present in the soil. Fire stimulates seed germination of some invasive species such as Scotch broom, and a flush of seedlings has already been observed at sites where mature plants had previously been eradicated. The goal is to treat these infestations before they become so large and entrenched that full eradication becomes infeasible. Barbed goat grass, tree of heaven, spotted knapweed, yellow starthistle, rush skeleton weed, Scotch broom, perennial pepper weed, Spanish broom, and medusahead grass are some of the invasive plants that occur in the vicinity of the King Fire area and could get established before native plants recolonize areas disturbed during the fire. Disturbed areas at risk include sites that were mechanically cleared of vegetation for fire suppression operations, such as fire lines, safety zones, and drop points. On National Forest lands, over 70 miles of bulldozer constructed fireline and 50 miles of roadside fire line will be inventoried for new invasive plant infestations. Other areas that may have had invasive species accidentally introduced and will be monitored in 2015 include campgrounds used for spike camps, roads used as major travel corridors and parking/staging areas, and aquatic features that were used as water sources. TOP: Bulldozers travelling on a muddy road through a spotted knapweed infestation may have inadvertently spread seeds to uninfested areas on the edge of the fire |
