Exotic plant management in Acadia National Park, Maine; 2015 annual summary report

Tocci, Anthony; Wheeler, Jesse; Connery, Judith; Kelley, Joseph; Fetgatter, Alexander

From executive summary: "The National Park Service’s (NPS) Acadia National Park Exotic Plant Management Team (EPMT) continues to protect the long-term ecological functions of park environments by managing the most threatening invasive exotic (non-native) plant species, preventing their establishment and restoring native habitats. The EPMT’s mission is to safely, professionally and efficiently manage approximately 25 of the highest-priority invasive exotic plant (IEP) species on NPS-administered lands to protect naturally-functioning habitats and allow visitors to experience landscapes unaffected by IEPs. Management actions are based on sound and current science, applied through an integrated pest management approach, and includes community partnerships, especially outreach and education. In 2015, we systematically surveyed 498.96 acres of forest, wetland, riparian and other habitats for the presence of IEPs prioritized for management, 48 sites were monitored, and 18 species of IEPs totaling 6.19 infested acres* were managed on NPS and adjacent private lands (Figure 1). The four-person crew spent a total of 1,627 hours managing exotic plants. In this seventh year of management, we completed intensive surveys, initial and follow-up re-treatment of glossy buckthorn in all federally-owned portions of the Cromwell Brook Watershed. EPMT staff participated in community outreach events to educate visitors, neighbors and the local community about exotic plant identification and management. The EPMT continued to restore the cultural landscape at Sieur de Monts with native plantings around the spring pool, Dorr Memorial and west of the Nature Center. The landscape around the Moore Auditorium on Schoodic Peninsula was rehabilitated using native plants with the help of volunteers. The EPMT also built a fence there to hide the auditorium’s unsightly ventilation system. Direct program costs for calendar year 2015 were $239,986. This program is funded primarily through four grants and other 'soft' funding sources, including a donation from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to mitigate wetland impacts from expanding the runway at the Hancock County Airport, NPS recreational fee revenues and a grant from Canon USA procured by Friends of Acadia (FOA). This figure includes personal services for the crew and half of the park’s vegetation program manager’s salary, as well as supplies, equipment, and limited training and travel. Maintenance and administrative support, offices, storage, vehicles and fuel were funded through other NPS operational funds and are not included in the figure above."

Exotic plant management in Acadia National Park, Maine; 2015 annual summary report

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