For more information on melaleuca and its management, visit the TAME Melaleuca Web site

http://tame.ifas.ufl.edu

Project Coordinator: Cressida SilversUSDA-ARS Invasive Plant Research Laboratory

Ft. Lauderdale, FL(954) 475-6564

USDA-ARS is an equal opportunity employer. October 2005

Help Is Out ThereListed here are some of the public sources of information and support available to private land owners of all scales for managing melaleuca and other invasive plants on theirproperties. These programs help Florida’s natural areas by reducing potential sources ofnew and renewed melaleuca infestations.

These programs also serve as good examples for other municipalities by showing creative ways to help constituents cope with the burden of invasive plants.

Melaleuca quinquenervia (aka paper tree, paperbark, cajeput) has been the posterchild for invasive plant species in Florida for years. Since its introduction from Australia acentury ago, melaleuca has infested more than half a million acres of natural areas in thegreater Everglades region. Melaleuca trees produce millions of seeds, are adapted to fire,grow quickly and invade a wide range of native habitats. They form dense forests thatcrowd out other vegetation, interfere with water flow and alter ecosystems.

Public agencies responsible for manag-ing Florida’s natural resources havemade melaleuca removal a priority,dedicating funding and personnel tomelaleuca management programs inparks, preserves, and conservationareas. Their diligence over the last twodecades has measurably reducedmelaleuca acreage on public lands. Butthat same level of funding and technicalexpertise is not always available for pri-vate lands, making melaleuca removal an overwhelming and expensive task for many individual landowners. Unmanaged melaleuca anywhere serves as a seed source for further spread of this Everglades invader.

For assistance with identifying invasive plants onyour property, advice on control methods, or helpfinding a tree removal professional, contact your

• county cooperative extension office• county environmental resources department• local office of the Florida Division of Forestry

MELALEUCAHelp for the

Property Owner

Public sources of information and support for private land owners

http://tame.ifas.ufl.edu

Melaleuca flower and cluster ofseed capsules.

Each seed capsule containshundreds of tiny seeds.

Melaleuca fuels hot fires. Firehelps melaleuca spread.

Work crews killing melaleuca byhand in the Everglades.

Stemming the Everglades inva-sion: Melaleuca on the left wastreated.

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on public property in residential areas – parks,rights-of-way and medians – and replacing themwith non-invasive species. Call their UrbanForestry program at (954) 761-5785 to notify ofmelaleuca trees on rights-of-way near your home.

Land Management and Conservation

• Florida Fish and Wildlife ConservationCommission’s Landowner Incentive Program (LIP)assists private landowners to enhance or restore

habitat for Threatenedand EndangeredSpecies and SpecialSpecies of Concern.Visit www.myfwc.com/lipor contact LIPCoordinator at (850) 488-3831.

• USDA NaturalResourcesConservation Service’s(NRCS) Wildlife HabitatIncentives Program(WHIP) encourages creation of high qualitywildlife habitats on

private lands. WHIP provides the landowner withtechnical and financial assistance to implement awildlife habitat development plan for a mutuallyagreed upon period of years. Visitwww.fl.nrcs.usda.gov or call (352) 338-9547.

Similarly, the USDA NRCS Environmental QualityIncentives Program (EQIP) provides financial andtechnical assistance with conservation practiceson agricultural land. Visit www.fl.nrcs.usda.gov orcall (352) 338-9515.

• US Fish and Wildlife Service’s PartnersProgram restores, improves, and protects fish andwildlife habitat on private lands by providing technical or financial assistance to qualifiedlandowners, or finding other suitable programs that

Pine flatwoods and saw palmetto

LegislationFederal and State: The federal government(USDA) includes melaleuca on the FederalNoxious Weeds List, prohibiting its importation andinterstate transport without a special permit. Twostate agencies, the Florida Department ofEnvironmental Protection (FDEP) and the FloridaDepartment of Agriculture and Consumer Services(FDACS), regulate melaleuca as an aquatic andterrestrial weed, respectively, making it unlawful topossess, collect, release, transport, cultivate,import or introduce the tree without a special permit.

Local: Melaleuca is similarly regulated in manycounties and municipalities through local invasivespecies ordinances. In addition, local ordinancesoften include building code statutes that requirenewly developed properties be cleared ofmelaleuca (and other invasive exotic plants) andmaintained free of invasive plants for a designatedtime or even indefinitely.

Permitting: Many localities require permits for treeremoval in an effort to preserve urban canopies.Most, however, have exemptions for melaleucaand other invasive exotics, allowing their removalwithout prior approval. A free permit may still berequired to make sure native or other desirablevegetation is not removed by mistake. Also, if thetree removal process involves heavy equipment(other than chainsaws) or is taking place in envi-ronmentally sensitive areas or wetlands, a permitmay be required.

Before removing any trees, pleasefirst check with your city or countyenvironmental resources personnelto ensure compliance.

will. Visit http://southeast.fws.gov/partners or call (239) 353-8442 ext 232.

Community Grants

Counties like Miami-Dade, Broward, and Sarasotaoffer neighborhood or community grants to organi-zations and non-profit groups, including neighbor-hood associations, for landscape improvementsand urban forestry.

Free Replacement Trees

Miami-Dade, Broward and St. Lucie Countieshave tree giveaway programs for residents.

• Miami-Dade County’s Adopt-a-Tree: (305) 372-6555

• Broward County’s Replant Broward:(954) 436-7579

• St. Lucie County’s Adopt-a-Tree:(772) 462-2526

Biological Control for Melaleuca Two insects, a weevil and a psyllid, feed on melaleucaleaves and serve as biological controls for the tree.Their feeding stunts melaleuca growth, thins thecanopy, reduces flowering and can even kill seedlings.Both insects are found on melaleuca throughoutFlorida. Additional insects are also available directlyfrom the UF IFAS/St. Lucie County CooperativeExtension Service at http://kgioeli.ifas.ufl.edu, or by call-ing the USDA-ARS Invasive Plant Research Laboratoryat (954) 475-6564.

Weevil adult (left), larva (center) and feeding damage (right).

Psyllid adult (left), nymphs (center) and feeding damage (right).

Invasive Plant Removal

• Palm Beach County’s Invasive VegetationRemoval Incentive Program will pay for removal ofmelaleuca and Australian pine and share costs forremoval of seven other prohibited species on prop-erties within 500 feet of a designated natural area.The county will remove Old World climbing fern(Lygodium) and air potato vines on all propertiesfree of charge. Palm Beach County Department ofEnvironmental Resource Management, (561) 233-2400 or www.pbcgov.com/erm/.

• Miami-Dade County’s EnvironmentallyEndangered Land Covenant (EEL) is a propertytax incentive program whereby property ownersare given the lowest tax assessment offered inexchange for preserving their property as a naturalarea for ten years. Property management require-ments under the program include invasive speciescontrol. Miami-Dade County Department ofEnvironmental Resources Management, (305) 372-6585 or visit www.miamidade.gov/derm/.

• Highlands County has a short term federal grantto reimburse land owners for 50-75% of the cost ofremoving five acres or more of melaleuca,Brazilian pepper, or Old World climbing fern.Highlands Natural Resources Department, (863) 402-6545.

• The City of Naples’ Melaleuca Tree RemovalProgram offers to remove melaleuca trees fromresidential properties within city limits at nocharge. City of Naples Community ServicesDepartment, (239) 213-7120.

• The City of Sanibel Natural ResourcesDepartment has conducted a successfulmelaleuca removal program throughout the islandand is now focusing on Brazilian pepper andAustralian pine removal.

• Fort Lauderdale Parks and RecreationDepartment has modified its melaleuca removalpolicy. Although they will not remove melaleuca onprivate property, they are targeting melaleuca trees

Cost-Share and Incentive Programs

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