Problematic plant monitoring in George Washington Carver National Monument: 2006–2020
Young CC. 2022. Problematic plant monitoring in George Washington Carver National Monument: 2006–2020. Natural Resource Report. NPS/HTLN/NRR—2022/2396. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/nrr-2293655
Managers are challenged with the impact of problematic plants, including exotic, invasive, and pest plant species. Information on the cover and frequency of these plant species is essential for developing risk-based approaches to managing them. Based on surveys conducted in 2006, 2013, 2016, and 2020, Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network staff and contractors identified a cumulative total of 50 potentially problematic plant species in George Washington Carver National Monument. Of the 35 species found in 2020 , we characterized 8 as very low frequency, 9 as low frequency, 10 as medium frequency, and 8 as high frequency. Of these, midpoint cover estimates of only 1 high frequency species, tall fescue, exceeded the 10-acre threshold. Because of the number, extent, and cover of problematic plants in the park and the small park size, control efforts should focus on treating high priority species across the entire park. High priority species may include plant species capable of rapid spread, species at low population levels, and species that can be effectively controlled.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Young, Craig
- Date of Issue
- 2022-06
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/nrr-2293655
- Units
- GWCA , HTLN , NRSS
- Keywords
- invasive plants; exotic plants; non-native plants; pest plants; problematic plants
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic plants