WiserEarth UK

Invasive non-native plants are a serious threat to native species, communities, and ecosystems in many areas around the world. They can compete with and displace native plants, animals, and other organisms that depend on them, alter ecosystem functions and cycles significantly, hybridize with native species, and promote other invaders. The good news is that many plant invasions can be reversed, halted or slowed, and in certain situations, even badly infested areas can be restored to healthy systems dominated by native species. In most instances this requires taking action to control and manage those invasive plants. This handbook provides you with detailed information about the tools and techniques available for controlling invasive plants, or weeds, in natural areas.Whenever possible, language familiar to natural area managers is used, and unfamiliar terms and jargon borrowed from other fields are defined.

Before embarking on a weed management program, it is important to develop a straightforward rationale for the actions you plan to take. We believe this is best accomplished using an adaptive management approach as follows (see Figure 1):

 

(1) establish management goals and objectives for the site;

(2) determine which plant species or populations, if any, block or have potential to block attainment of the management goals and objectives;

(3) determine which methods are available to control the weed(s);

(4) develop and implement a management plan designed to move conditions toward management goals and objectives;

(5) monitor and assess the impacts of management actions in terms of their effectiveness in moving conditions toward these goals and objectives; and

(6) reevaluate, modify, and start the cycle again. Note that control activities are not begun until the first three steps have been taken.

 

A weed control program is best viewed as part of an overall restoration program, so focus on what you want in place of the weed, rather than simply eliminating the weed. When selecting control methods, keep in mind that the ultimate purpose of the work is to preserve native species, communities, and/or functioning ecosystems.

 

This Handbook is divided into eight chapters, covering a range of different control methods. More often than not, however, successful weed control requires the combination or sequential use of several methods (called integrated weed management):

 

Chapter 1 describes a variety of manual and mechanical techniques.

Chapter 2 covers the use of grazing for weed control in natural areas including the types of animals that can be
used and how to time grazing for best effect.

Chapter 3 briefly discusses the use of prescribed fire to control invasive plants.

Chapter 4 covers biological control of invasive plants.

Chapter 5 discusses factors to consider when deciding whether to
use herbicides or not

Chapter 6 discusses general properties of herbicides

Chapter 7 provides detailed information for eleven herbicides that have
been used in natural areas.

Chapter 8 discusses the addition and use of adjuvants in herbicide tank mixes.

Although no results are mentioned in the Handbook, a list of projects can be found on the Global Invasive Species Team website by clicking here.

A weed control program is best viewed as part of an overall restoration program, so focus on what you want in place of the weed, rather than simply eliminating the weed. When selecting control methods, keep in mind that the ultimate purpose of the work is to preserve native species, communities, and/or functioning ecosystems.