Nisqually Knotweed Program Update - 2011

Nisqually River Knotweed Control Project Update

Renee R. MitchellPierce Conservation District

5430 66th Avenue EastPuyallup, WA 98371

(253) 845-9770reneem@piercecountycd.org

What is Knotweed?Tall, very aggressive, invasive herbaceous perennial species native to Asia Stems are thick & hollow, resembling bamboo, green to reddish in color Leaves are alternate, and bright green in color Can reach up to 15 feet in height within a single growing season Listed as a Class B non-designated noxious weed

Species:Japanese GiantBohemian (*Hybrid of Giant & Japanese)Himalayan

Why control it?Knotweed:

Displaces and Crowds out Native Riparian Vegetation Increases Erosion Reduces Seedling Recruitment of Native Trees Degrades Fish and Wildlife Habitat Alters Soil Nutrient Cycling Impacts Aquatic Food Webs

It’s Everywhere

How does knotweed spread primarily?

Root fragment sprout

Stem fragment rooted in cobble at nodes

Mineral Creek

Knotweed = Persistence

2010 Major Project Changes

*April of 2010:Nisqually Knotweed Control Project transferred from Pierce County Noxious Weed Board to the Pierce Conservation District

Pierce County

Nels Parvi

New Project Manager

Project Partners

Project Partner Collaboration

*Float surveys conducted from LaGrande Dam to Nisqually Estuary with:

Florian Leischner: Rick Johnson: Restoration Biologist Noxious Weed Control CoordinatorNisqually Tribe Thurston County

Jesse Barham: Bret Forrester:Restoration Biologist Wildlife & Recreation CoordinatorU.S. Fish & Wildlife Tacoma Power

2010 Project Funding

Project Funding for 2010 consisted of:

WSDA Grant Washington State Recreation and

Conservation Office Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRF Board)

* In October 2010, the WSDA Grant was pulled from the Nisqually Knotweed Control Project

Education & Community Outreach2010:

Knotweed awareness was presented to the public via outreach letters, brochures, face-to-face meetings, and phone calls

Thurston County Noxious Weed Control Board provided educational brochures on knotweed control strategies during the Water Festival held at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge

Conducted a “No Knotweed” bending party utilizing volunteers from the surrounding Ashford community

Treatment Methods

Foliar Applications = Backpack sprayers containing:1% Imazapyr (Polaris)1% Surfactant (Competitor)

Stem Injection =Injector Guns containing: 3 ml Glyphosate (Glypro)

Nisqually

Alternative Control MethodsCutting - remove stems, bag them up & take to garbageMowing - pick up every fragment, bag them up & take

to garbageDig up roots - must try and remove as much root

system as possible Cover – spread heavy duty geo-textile fabric/black

plastic

*These methods stimulate shoot growth which helps deplete energy from the roots/rhizomes

****Warning: Do not add root & stem fragments to compost/mulch piles

2010 Project Accomplishments

Lower Watershed – Surveyed 38.4 miles along the main stem

below the Alder Dam by raft, jet boat, and stream walking

Re-treated and mapped 100% of all re-sprouts and new infestations found

Float surveys were conducted in partnership with the Nisqually Tribe, Tacoma Power, Thurston County Noxious Weed Control Board, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife

2010 Lower Watershed Treatment

Manke Gate

Alder Dam

New Knotweed

2010 TacomaPower Float

Alder Lake

2010 Lower Watershed Treatment

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MankeGate

McKenna Bridge

Tank Crossing

Knotweed Bending Site

Retreat Start

GOVLand

TPUTPU

GOVLandWong

Mining & Forestry

USFS

WSDOT

USFS

City of Tacoma

TPU USFS

DNRState LandTacoma

PowerTacomaPower

WA StateForest Board

Private Land Owner

TPU

Wong M&F

GOVLand

Stevens, J.

Stevens, J.

Mt. Rainier

RaindropProp.

WongWongM&F

GOVLand

GOVLand

DNRDNRDNRWA ST

Forest Board

Tacoma PowerState of Washington

TacomaPower

DNRCity ofTacoma

City ofTacoma

DNRDNRCity ofTacomaDNRDNRWhite River

Forests LLC

DNRDNRState LandPat Garrett

WA STForest Board

WA STForest Board

Snyder, Gary& Jo AnnDNR

State LandState Land

Big CreekCatt Creek

I-5

Joint Base Lewis-McCord

New Infestations

Elbe Hills State Forest

Nisqually Tribe Floats

TacomaPowerWA State

Forest Board

PrivateLand Owner

DNRPrivateLand OwnerState LandState LandPrivateLand OwnerTacoma

Power

DNRKernahan Road2010 NewTreatment Start

2010 Project AccomplishmentsUpper Watershed – Surveyed 5.6 miles along the main stem

starting from outside the Mt. Rainier National Park entrance by stream walking

Re-treatments were made along the old Nisqually River channel, Copper Creek, spot treatments for various concerned landowners, and Gifford-Pinchot National Forest parcels

Treated 2.6 miles of new heavy knotweed infestations along the main stem of the river

2010 Upper Watershed New Areas Treated

TreStart

TPU

USFS

WSDOT

USFS

City of Tacoma

DNR

State Land

WA StateForest Board

Private Land Owner

State Land

State Land

PrivateLand Owner

DNR

PrivateLand Owner

State Land

State Land

PrivateLand Owner

Kernahan Road

2010 NewTreatment Start

2010 Upper Watershed New Areas Treated

DNR

State Land

TacomaPower

TacomaPower

WA StateForest Board

Private Land Owner

State Land

State Land

TacomaPower

PrivateLand Owner

DNR

PrivateLand Owner

State Land

State Land

PrivateLand Owner

Tacoma Power

Kernahan Road

2010 NewTreatment Start

2010 Upper Watershed End of Treatment

Knotweed Bending Site

State Land

TacomaPower

TacomaPower

WA StateForest Board

Private Land Owner

DNR

DNR

State Land

Big Creek

TacomaPower

WA State Forest Board

Tacoma Power

DNR

2010 End of Treatment

Tributaries Surveyed and TreatedUpper & Lower Watershed

Berry Creek, Mona Creek, Wildcat Creek, Little Nisqually, Powell Creek, Lacamas Creek, Muck Creek, South Muck Creek, Horn Creek, Unnamed tributary to Harts Lake, Rocky Slough, and Tule Lake

Total = 34 miles by stream walking and road surveys

The Grand total: 78 total miles of river & creeks surveyed47 private & public-owned parcels surveyed and treated180 acres of knotweed infestations treated

* Treatment estimated at a 90% mortality rate

Knotweed Treatment as of 2010

Rare Finds Along the Nisqually Floodplains

Western Toad (Bufo boreas) Wooden Buffalo Carving* Species of concern in WA & OR

Plan for 2011Ensure the lower main stem of the Nisqually remains knotweed free by survey, monitoring and re-treating where necessary Continue annual main stem rafting floats with project partners Continue survey, retreatment , and treatment of new areas within the upper watershed Increase Knotweed awareness among private landowners through knotweed workshops and community meetings Continue to request land owners cooperation in the project Identify areas to replace native vegetation that has been negatively impacted by the presence of knotweed

2011 Treatment Goal

Knotweed Bending Site

WSDOT

USFS

City of Tacoma

DNR

State Land

TacomaPower

WA StateForest Board

Private Land Owner

DNR

DNR

DNR

Tacoma Power

State of Washington

TacomaPower DNR

City ofTacoma

City ofTacoma

DNRDNR

City ofTacoma

White River Forests LLC

DNR

DNR

State LandPat Garrett

State Land

State Land

Big Creek

Catt Creek

WA State Forest Board

PrivateLand Owner

DNR

PrivateLand Owner

State Land

State Land

PrivateLand Owner

Tacoma Power

DNR

Kernahan Road

2010 NewTreatment Start

2010 End ofTreatment

2011 end ofTreatment Goal ?

1220187467351

12202304674261220337467429

12

20

118

46

73

70

Project Needs Additional Funding Sources More knotweed technicians Stronger partner collaboration efforts Cooperation from more private landowners

Help!!!!!!!!.........Questions……….