Problematic plant monitoring in Wilson's Creek National Battlefield: 2006–2016
Young CC. 2020. Problematic plant monitoring in Wilson's Creek National Battlefield: 2006–2016. Natural Resource Report. NPS/HTLN/NRR—2020/2087. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
Managers are challenged with the impact of problematic plants, including exotic, invasive, and pest plant species. Information on the abundance, distribution, and location of these plants is essential for developing risk-based approaches to managing these species. Based on surveys conducted in 2006, 2013, and 2016, Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network staff and contractors identified a cumulative total of 54 potentially problematic plant taxa in Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. Of the 47 species found in 2016, we characterized 12 as very low frequency, 16 as low frequency, 10 as medium frequency, and 9 as high frequency. Most species in the very low, low, and medium frequency categories did not exceed a 10-acre threshold, while most high-frequency species did. While eradication may be possible for a small number of species, we recommend that management at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield focus on strategically protecting high value features in the park’s cultural and natural landscapes.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Young, Craig
- Date of Issue
- 2020-03
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- HTLN , NRSS , WICR
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic plants