Managing ox-eye daisy at Milagra Ridge
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Transcript of Managing ox-eye daisy at Milagra Ridge
2014 SUMMARY REPORT Treatment and management of ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulagre) Milagra Ridge
September 11, 2014
Prepared by: Ruby Kwan Park Stewardship Program Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Fort Mason, Building 201 San Francisco, CA 94123
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SUMMARY
In 2008, the Park Stewardship Program established plots to test different methods of treating and
managing non-native ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), which at the time was very abundant in the
Nike Basin subsite at Milagra Ridge despite years of manual removal with volunteers. Both herbicide
(2% Roundup Pro and 1.5 % Aquamaster) and manual removal with handpicks were tested. In addition
to the treatments, straw mulch was applied to selected plots to determine if the added component
would affect results.
As of 2014 the most important pieces of information taken away from this experiment are:
Regardless of the treatment, all methods worked in reducing ox-eye daisy to a few or no
individuals given a sufficient amount of time.
A layer of straw mulch helped speed up the process of reducing ox-eye daisy.
After six years of monitoring and re-treating ox-eye daisy, a few ox eye daisy plants germinated
in most plots, likely from the seed bank. Therefore, any ox-eye daisy control should entail long-
term follow-up. Continued monitoring is needed to determine the length of time required to
eliminate the population and exhaust the seed bank.
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1. BACKGROUND
Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) is a perennial non-native flowering plant in the Asteraceae family
(Figure 1). The flower blooms in April through August and is a prolific seed producer thus it is important
to remove this non-native before the seed heads develop and dispose of the biomass off-site.
Work performed records showed that ox-eye daisy was removed by volunteers since 2004 (see
Appendix 1). There is a possibility that ox-eye daisy was removed even earlier since the work from 2004
onward was categorized as follow up. However, supporting records were not found via the work
performed database or in GIS. Prior to 2008, hand removal by volunteers was the primary treatment
method and efforts were focused heavily in the Nike Basin. Nevertheless, ox-eye daisy over time
remained abundant in the Nike Basin leading to concerns about the efficacy of hand removal.
Furthermore, the lack of a cumulative historical map of ox-eye daisy distribution made it even more
difficult to assess the efficacy of hand removal once it started in 2004. As a result, the need to explore
different and best methods of controlling ox-eye daisy and creating a record of the species distribution
became pertinent.
Thus in 2008, the Park Stewardship Program (PSP) initiated a study that tested the effectiveness of
different treatment methods at controlling ox-eye daisy. In conjunction with this study, PSP created a
map of the known distribution of ox-eye daisy at Milagra Ridge based on field observations, historic GIS
shapefiles, and work performed records. The goal was to help inform on-going and best management
practices for this species.
2. METHODS
2.1 Establishing test plots
Five 2 meter X 2 meter plots were created at the Nike Basin subsite of Milagra Ridge. The location of the
plots were selected 1) for a high density of ox-eye daisy, 2) to represent a range of ox-eye daisy life
stages as determined by plants with basal (younger) vs. cauline (older) leaves as well as plants with
flowers (younger) vs. seed (older), and 3) to represent a range of habitat types (grassland, shrubland,
mix). Each plot was mapped using a GPS unit and plots were marked on the ground with four wooden
stakes labeled with the plot number (Figure 2).
We assigned a different treatment method for each plot, each a variation in hand removal and foliar
treatment techniques. Plots 1, 2, and 3 were hand removal plots using only hand picks. Plots 4 and 5
were 2% Roundup Pro treatment plots and both switched to a 1.5% Aquamaster treatment in 2011. In
2010, mulch was added to Plots 3 and 5 in addition to the regular treatment as specified.
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2.2 Annual treatment and monitoring
The plots were monitored and treated each year. Table 1 shows the treatment method and timing from
2008 through 2014. Before removing any ox-eye daisy, we recorded the plot number and date, and
took a before picture of the plot. Then, the ox-eye daisies at all life stages were removed/treated using
the method as specified unless otherwise noted. An after photo was taken post-removal, and we
recorded the time it took to remove the ox-eye daisy, the general life stage of the individuals removed,
how many were removed, treatment, who worked in the plot and how many people. The procedures
were repeated for the remaining plots. The ox-eye daisies removed were placed in a trash bag and
disposed of to prevent seed dispersal. Table 2 shows a sample dataset that was recorded as part of
treatment and monitoring in 2012.
FIGURE 2. Location of test plots at Milagra Ridge.
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TABLE 1. Treatment methods per plot.
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Plot 1 Hand removal Hand removal Hand removal Hand removal Hand picks Handpicks Handpicks
Plot 2 Hand removal Hand removal Hand removal Hand removal Hand picks Handpicks Handpicks
Plot 3 Hand removal Hand removal Hand removal
and straw mulch Hand removal Hand picks Handpicks Handpicks
Plot 4 2% Roundup Pro 2% Roundup Pro 2% Roundup Pro *1.5% Aquamaster 1.5% Aquamaster Handpicks Handpicks
Plot 5 2% Roundup Pro 2% Roundup Pro 2% Roundup Pro and straw mulch *1.5% Aquamaster 1.5% Aquamaster Handpicks Handpicks
Treatment timing May/ June July/ August
* Partially treated in November
TABLE 2. The information contained in this table was recorded for each plot during monitoring and treatment each year.
Plot Date Time (min)
# Mature Plants and Seedlings
Condition # Workers Plot Set Up Treatment
1 8/30/2012 10 30 Small, 1 flowering, most leaves turning purple
3 Marcela Maldonado, Zachariah Jeffeson, Eira Whitty
Hand picks
2 8/30/2012 7
7 4 post flowering, green and yellow leaves
3 Marcela Maldonado, Zachariah Jeffeson, Eira Whitty
Hand picks
3 8/30/2012 3
5 2 flowered, green leaves 3 Marcela Maldonado, Zachariah Jeffeson, Eira Whitty
Hand picks
4 8/18/2012 3
4 Basal and flowers 2 Cody Ender, Marcela Maldonado
1.5% Aquamaster
5 8/18/2012 1
0 N/A 2 Cody Ender, Marcela Maldonado
1.5% Aquamaster
2.3 Mapping
A map of historical ox-eye daisy patches was created using information from work performed databases,
invasive vegetation maps, and field observations since 2008.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 Ox-eye daisy removal
Monitoring was not done in 2009 and data was not collected in 2010 at Plots 4 and 5. Since 2013, ox-eye
daisy was hand removed at all the plots because the abundance of individuals at each plot was few to
none which is a good sign that all of the treatment methods were effective in removing ox-eye daisy
over a span of six years (Figure 3).
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Mulch was applied in Plots 3 and 5 in 2010. One year later (2011), the number of ox-eye daisy were
greatly reduced in these plots as compared to non-mulched plots. However, two years later (2012), ox-
eye daisy was at similar low levels in all plots. While the mulch speeded up the process, all treatments
seem to have similar levels of success in the long run, in this case, after six years. With diligent follow
up, ox-eye daisy is greatly reduced, but not eradicated from any of these plots after six years of
treatment. This underscores the importance of long-term follow up.
We were initially concerned that the mulch would break down and provide added biomass and moisture
to support ox-eye daisy regrowth. However, after monitoring in 2014, we saw that ox-eye daisy
appeared in equal amounts (at least 1 plant) in plots with and without mulch.
The largest patch of ox-eye daisy is located at the Nike Basin. However, patches and individuals were
observed in other locations at Milagra Ridge, in particular patches of basal rosettes in the Northwest
Prairie. The current map of ox-eye daisy at Milagra Ridge is important for informing management
practices and serve as historical documentation for which others can use as a reference farther down
the line (Figure 4).
FIGURE 3. Annual comparison of ox-eye daisy abundance at each plot. Plots were not monitored in 2009. Plots 4 and 5 were
not monitored in 2010.
120
20
60 72
20
127
27
57
82
12
39
4
30
7 5 4
19
1 4 4 6 2 2 4
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Hand Removal Hand Removal Hand Removal 2% Roundup Pro;1.5% Aquamaster in
2011
2% Roundup Pro;1.5% Aquamaster in
2011
Plot 1 Plot 2 Plot 3 - Mulch in2010
Plot 4 Plot 5 - Mulch in2010
# o
f in
div
idu
als
rem
ove
d
2008 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
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3.1 Labor
We assessed the time spent on each technique. Hand removal with volunteers is the most time
consuming, followed by hand removal with staff/interns then herbicide. Herbiciding ox-eye daisy covers
more area in a shorter amount of time; however, the time needed for herbicide prep and clean up
reduces the time actually spent removing and treating ox-eye daisy. Therefore, hand removal is the
most straightforward method to remove ox-eye daisy while offering similar levels of success over the
long-term especially since ox-eye daisy numbers are minimal at Milagra Ridge.
FIGURE 4. Location of known historical patches and individual ox-eye daisy.
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TABLE 3. Summary of work hours contributed to remove ox-eye daisy from test plots. Area is based on the total area treated or
hand removed between 2008 and 2014.
4. RECOMMENDATIONS
Continue checking plots until no ox-eye daisy is observed and removed for 2 years to determine the
length of time required to eliminate population and exhaust the seed bank.
Continue to check for and remove ox-eye daisy between April through in the Nike Basin and
Northwest Prairie. It is imperative to check known locations of ox-eye daisy weekly in order to limit
seed set.
If a new patch of ox-eye daisy is located, straw mulch should be applied after removal of basal
rosettes and flowers.
Control efforts should be implemented for over the long term (more than six years) and all sources of
seed diligently removed each year.
5. DATA STORAGE
Information pertaining to the ox-eye daisy test plots can be found at:
This report: J:\Community Programs\Bldg 34 Files\Park Stewardship\Restoration\SITES\Milagra Ridge\mr_experiments\leuvul_control\mr_leuvul_writeup_20140630
Photodocumentation: J:\Community Programs\Bldg 34 Files\Park Stewardship\Restoration\SITES\Milagra Ridge\mr_experiments\leuvul_control\Photodocumentation
GIS: O:\gis_projects\_SSP\Milagra_Ridge\veg_invasives\leu_vul
Treatment
Total # of
minutes
Total # of
individuals minutes/individual Total area area /min./individual
Herbicide -
staff/interns 24 18 1.33 40 30
Hand removal-
staff/interns 55 30 1.83 64 35
Hand removal -
volunteers 315 90 3.50 36 10
Appendix 1. Work performed records for ox-eye daisy removal
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