Melaleuca in the Everglades Mike Bodle Vegetation Management Division South Florida Water Management...
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Transcript of Melaleuca in the Everglades Mike Bodle Vegetation Management Division South Florida Water Management...
Melaleuca in the EvergladesMelaleuca in the Everglades
Mike Bodle
Vegetation Management Division
South Florida Water Management District
Early Awareness
• Recognized as a problem in the early 70’s (FL FWCC)
• Skepticism concerning ability to control
“There is very real potential that all the sawgrass in South Florida could eventually become melaleuca forest.”
-Mark Maffei, 1989
“We’re basically talking everything in South Florida except the coastal ridge.”
-Ted Center on melaleuca
distribution in South Florida, 1989
“Melaleuca quinquenervia is now poised to expand throughout the Everglades. The time for integrated management of the tree has come. Combined efforts and methods will, hopefully, reverse this weed’s expansion.”
-Melaleuca Management Plan for South Florida, 1990
“The current level of melaleuca infestation in South Florida and the potential for continued alteration of natural habitats by this invasive biological pollutant signal that the need for a statewide melaleuca management program is now!”
- Ken Langeland, 1990
Melaleuca ManagementMelaleuca ManagementHistorical BackgroundHistorical Background
• 1975 - Two Melaleuca workshops (FL FWCC)1975 - Two Melaleuca workshops (FL FWCC)• 1980 - Melaleuca symposium (FL Div. Forestry)1980 - Melaleuca symposium (FL Div. Forestry)• 1982 - Exotic woody plant conference (Fairchild)1982 - Exotic woody plant conference (Fairchild)• 1984 - Exotic Woody Plant workshop (ENP) 1984 - Exotic Woody Plant workshop (ENP) • 1984 - Exotic Pest Plant Council formed1984 - Exotic Pest Plant Council formed• 1986 - ENP Initiates Control Program1986 - ENP Initiates Control Program• 1988 - EPPC Exotic Pest Plant Symposium1988 - EPPC Exotic Pest Plant Symposium• 1990 - Melaleuca Task Force1990 - Melaleuca Task Force
Melaleuca Task ForceMelaleuca Task ForceJanuary 1990January 1990
• Jointly convened byJointly convened by Florida Exotic Pest Plant CouncilFlorida Exotic Pest Plant Council South Florida Water Management DistrictSouth Florida Water Management District
• >30 participants: >30 participants: Federal, state, & local government representatives, scientists, Federal, state, & local government representatives, scientists,
NGOs, private industryNGOs, private industry
• Objective:Objective: Develop a comprehensive strategy for managing melaleuca Develop a comprehensive strategy for managing melaleuca
throughout its range in Floridathroughout its range in Florida
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management Plan
• May 1990 - 1st ed.• April 1994 - 2nd ed.
revised to include most recent information
• May 1999 - 3rd ed.• revised to update
information
• recommendations changed to reflect progress
Melaleuca Management Plan:Melaleuca Management Plan:EPPC Management Plan ApproachEPPC Management Plan Approach
• Summarize current ecological knowledgeSummarize current ecological knowledge– identify research gapsidentify research gaps
• Summarize existing control technologiesSummarize existing control technologies– what is working, and wherewhat is working, and where
• Identify control technology research needsIdentify control technology research needs– developing biological controls, improving chemical and developing biological controls, improving chemical and
mechanical controlsmechanical controls
• Develop plan to integrate and coordinate efforts Develop plan to integrate and coordinate efforts regionallyregionally
• South of Hwy 60South of Hwy 60• Mainly concentrated near areas Mainly concentrated near areas
of early plantingsof early plantings
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanDefining the ProblemDefining the Problem
Extent of infestations:Extent of infestations:
M ela leu ca D istr ib u tio n
N a tu ra l A rea s
Early Assessment:• Various techniques triedVarious techniques tried
satellite imagessatellite images false color infraredfalse color infrared aerial reconnaissance aerial reconnaissance
• Estimates varied Estimates varied 495,300 - 2.5 million acres495,300 - 2.5 million acres
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanDefining the ProblemDefining the Problem
• Sawgrass prairies
• Cypress heads
• Pinelands
Summarize invasion of native habitats
Ecological questions
• Reproductive ecology
• Florida vs. Australia
• Many herbicides tried• Effectiveness varied• Initial treatments result in dense,
even-aged seedling stands• Treated trees often resprout• Mechanical removal very expensive
& unsuited for most natural areas
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanDefining the ProblemDefining the Problem
Summarize available control options in 1990
Melaleuca tree that was controlled with herbicides surrounded by “doghair” seedlings
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanRecommendationsRecommendations
• ResearchResearch develop biological control agentsdevelop biological control agents search for better ways to use herbicidessearch for better ways to use herbicides Develop ways to measure of infestation levelDevelop ways to measure of infestation level fill gaps in ecological knowledgefill gaps in ecological knowledge
• OperationsOperations
• EducationEducation
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanRecommendationsRecommendations
• ResearchResearch
• OperationsOperations establish melaleuca-free zones around ENP, Big Cypress, establish melaleuca-free zones around ENP, Big Cypress,
WCAs, Holey Land, & Lake Okeechobee WCAs, Holey Land, & Lake Okeechobee apply strategy of first removing outliers, then moving apply strategy of first removing outliers, then moving
progressively closer to focus of each infestationprogressively closer to focus of each infestation monitor sites for regrowth/seedlings up to 4 years post-monitor sites for regrowth/seedlings up to 4 years post-
treatment & retreat as neededtreatment & retreat as needed
• EducationEducation
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanRecommendationsRecommendations
• ResearchResearch
• OperationsOperations
• EducationEducation inform government officials about magnitude of problem & inform government officials about magnitude of problem &
need for fundingneed for funding inform resource managers of best control options & inform resource managers of best control options &
opportunities resource sharing cost-sharingopportunities resource sharing cost-sharing inform general public of problem & encourage removal of trees inform general public of problem & encourage removal of trees
on private propertyon private property
• Aerial photos of 1 mi2 areas (1:3600 scale)
• 8 areas in Dade & Broward Counties
• 25 yrs to go from 5% (30 acres) to 95% (600 acres)
cover
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanImplementing the PlanImplementing the Plan
Year0 5 10 15 20 25
% M
elal
euca
in
fest
atio
n (
of
1 s
q.
mil
e s
ecti
on
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
% Infestation = 97.91/(1 + 77.52 x 0.74year
)
R2 = 0.94
Source: Laroche & Ferriter 1992J. Aquatic Plant Manage. 30: 62-65
How quickly do infestations grow?
1965 1990
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanImplementing the PlanImplementing the Plan
• Aerial surveys (SFWMD) flight lines every 2.5 mi coordinates (GPS) & density
recorded for every occurrence
• Conducted biannually 488,000 acres in 1993 453,000 acres in 1995 391,000 acres in 1997 359,000 acres in 1999
How much?
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanImplementing the PlanImplementing the Plan
Strategy
Eliminate existingstands
Halt expansion
Seed/saplingmortality
Reduce seedproduction
• mechanical removal• treat with herbicides
• hand-pull saplings• treat with herbicides• damage by biocontrol insects
• damage by biocontrol insects
Melaleuca Control in by Ground application in Pennsuco Mitigation Area
April 1998
February 1999
October 2000
October 2001
October 2003
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanImplementing the PlanImplementing the Plan
• Ground application Hack/squirt - completely girdle tree Cut Stump - treat stumps shortly
after cut
• Aerial application Determine effective herbicides use microfoil boom with small
(0.02) nozzle overlap spray paths by 50%
Perform herbicide trials:
Crew Transport • Airboat
• Helicopter – a necessity in early days of control in Everglades
• ATV/ Buggy
Melaleuca Management ExpendituresMelaleuca Management Expenditures (FY 91-01)(FY 91-01)
South Florida Water Management District $21,649,322
Big Cypress National Preserve $ 2,579,000
Everglades National Park $ 3,548,000
Water Conservation Areas 2A, 3A, 3B 600,000 acresLake Okeechobee 100,000 acresEverglades National Park 200,000 acresBig Cypress National Preserve 100,000 acres
Areas under Maintenance Control
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanRecommendationsRecommendations
• ResearchResearch develop biological control agents develop biological control agents - Yes- Yes search for better ways to use herbicides search for better ways to use herbicides - Yes- Yes Develop ways to measure of infestation level Develop ways to measure of infestation level - Yes- Yes fill gaps in ecological knowledge fill gaps in ecological knowledge - Yes- Yes
• OperationsOperations
• EducationEducation
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanRecommendationsRecommendations
• ResearchResearch• OperationsOperations
establish melaleuca-free zones around ENP, Big Cypress, WCAs, establish melaleuca-free zones around ENP, Big Cypress, WCAs, Holey Land, & Lake Okeechobee Holey Land, & Lake Okeechobee - So-so- So-so
apply strategy of first removing outliers, then moving progressively apply strategy of first removing outliers, then moving progressively closer to focus of each infestation closer to focus of each infestation – Yes on most pubic lands– Yes on most pubic lands
monitor sites for regrowth/seedlings up to 4 years post-treatment & monitor sites for regrowth/seedlings up to 4 years post-treatment & retreat as needed retreat as needed – Yes on most public lands– Yes on most public lands
• EducationEducation
Melaleuca Management PlanMelaleuca Management PlanRecommendationsRecommendations
• ResearchResearch
• OperationsOperations
• EducationEducation inform government officials about magnitude of problem & inform government officials about magnitude of problem &
need for funding need for funding - Yes- Yes inform resource managers of best control options & inform resource managers of best control options &
opportunities resource sharing cost-sharing opportunities resource sharing cost-sharing - Yes- Yes inform general public of problem & encourage removal of trees inform general public of problem & encourage removal of trees
on private propertyon private property - - YesYes