Invasive plant management in Kenai Fjords National Park: 2019 summary report

Sampson SN and Kriedeman CL. 2020. Invasive plant management in Kenai Fjords National Park: 2019 summary report. Natural Resource Report. NPS/KEFJ/NRR—2020/2208. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/nrr-2282228

This report is an overview of the Kenai Fjords National Park’s (KEFJ) Exotic Plant Management Team’s (EPMT) 2019 season. This season, all known invasive plant populations were surveyed and retreated. In total, 64.85 acres were surveyed, 1.61 acres were treated with herbicide, and 0.10 acres were treated manually. This season, 43.43 gallons of Milestone herbicide solution and 5.78 gallons of AquaMaster herbicide solution were used to chemically treat invasive plant populations in the Exit Glacier area, Maintenance Facility and coastal areas of the park. Seventeen invasive plant species were documented in the park and on park properties outside the park boundary. The KEFJ EPMT coordinated the Seward Community Weed Pull in partnership with Kenai Peninsula Cooperative Weed Management Area (KP-CWMA) members and a total of 573 pounds of invasive plants were hand pulled. Addison Lake was surveyed for the aquatic invasive plant Elodea (Elodea spp.) for the first time this August. Both rake throw surveys and environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys were conducted to sample for Elodea. No Elodea was found during rake throw surveys and eDNA water samples have been sent to a laboratory for analysis. A total of 1.58 pounds of native seed were collected from 7 species in the Exit Glacier area to add to the park’s seed bank. The area around a newly constructed cabin in the Exit Glacier area was reseeded in August. Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) pheromone traps were deployed around the Exit Glacier Developed area as part of the Alaska Division of Agriculture state-wide monitoring program. No gypsy moths were detected in the five traps deployed. The KEFJ EMPT continued outreach and education efforts through presentations, informal talks, social media and interpretive information. The KEFJ EPMT was made up of a Biological Science Technician, a Student Conservation Association (SCA) Intern and 2 Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) employees.

Type
Published Report
Authors
Sampson, Sierra; Kriedeman, Christina
Date of Issue
2020-12
Publisher
National Park Service
DOI
10.36967/nrr-2282228
Units
KEFJ , NRSS
Keywords
EPMT; Invasive plant; KEFJ; Exotic Plant Management Team
Subjects
Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic plants

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