Invasive Plant Management Team Treatment and Prevention in Denali National Park: 2023 Summary Report
Lee K, Mahovlic W, Mousseau E. 2025. Invasive Plant Management Team Treatment and Prevention in Denali National Park: 2023 Summary Report. National Park Service
The 2023 Invasive Plant Management Team (IPMT) had a successful season of invasive plant management, native seed collection and revegetation. In the first half of the season, Student Conservation Association (SCA) Interns Kathryn Lee and Elizabeth Mousseau joined Denali National Park’s (DENA) Revegetation Technician, Wendy Maholvic, in the monitoring of invasive plant populations within the park, and along the George Parks Highway. Both chemical and manual control methods were used to treat and prevent invasive plants. In total, the IPMT manually removed 344 pounds of invasive plants, with the help of volunteers during the Dandelion Demolition volunteer event and an SCA crew in June. Using chemical treatment, the IPMT sprayed 62.25 gallons of herbicide through the season. In the second half of the season, the IPMT collected native seeds for the DENA’s Native Seed Bank. These seeds are used for various revegetation projects in the park. The seeds collected and cleaned this season will be planted as part of the revegetation projects at Pretty Rocks Landslide at mile 43 of the Denali Park Road, and at a revegetation site at the DENA entrance area. In total, 32.58 pounds of native seeds were collected in the 2023 season, 39.86 pounds of which were cleaned and ready for planting (note: seeds were cleaned from previous years as well). Volunteers helped collect 4.5 pounds of these seeds during the Need for Seed volunteer event in August. Prolific concentrations of invasive species were seen along roadsides (increased encroachment into tundra areas), trails and transport areas. In future seasons, NPS personnel should continue monitoring in high visitation areas and disturbed sites and establish prevention strategies based on population dispersal trends. Restoration activities should be ongoing based on disturbances and revegetation project needs. The work of DENA IMPTs is vital to the park ecosystems and the enjoyment of future generations of visitors.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Lee, Kathryn; Mahovlic, Wendy; Mousseau, Elizabeth
- Date of Issue
- 2025-04
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- DENA
- Keywords
- Alaska, bird vetch, Common dandelion, Crepis tectorum, DENA, Denali National Park, Descurainia sophia, EPMT, exotic plant, flixweed, foxtail barley, Hordeum jubatum, management, narrowleaf hawksbeard, Preserve, restoration, revegetation, Taraxacum officinale, Vicia cracca
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic plants
See also
- Exotic Plant Management Team (EPMT) at Denali National Park and Preserve
- Invasive and exotic plant management in Denali National Park and Preserve: 2013 summary report
- Invasive and exotic plant management in Denali National Park and Preserve: 2015 summary report
- Invasive and exotic plant management in Denali National Park and Preserve: 2016 summary report
- Invasive and exotic species management for Denali National Park & Preserve: 2010 Summary report
- Invasive and exotic species management in Denali National Park & Preserve: 2011 Summary report
- Invasive and exotic species management in Denali National Park and Preserve: 2012 Summary report
- Invasive and exotic species management in Denali National Park and Preserve: 2014 summary report
- Invasive Plant Management and Prevention in Denali National Park and Preserve: 2022 Summary Report
- Invasive plant management and revegetation efforts in Denali National Park and Preserve: 2018 summary report