Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) and Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.) are native Eurasian species introduced to North America as ornamentals in the 19th century. Subsequent escape from cultivation led to establishment on over one million acres of riparian habitat. Both species disrupt riparian ecosystem structure through competition and replacement of native plant species, degradation of native wildlife habitat, and moisture sequestration. Efforts to eliminate these target species have been unsuccessful, as initial treatments are often followed by secondary invasions of undesirable plant species. Numerous methodologies employed for species removal have provided little information on desirable long-term results following treatment and removal. Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. monitored treatment and control sites to determine pre-treatment conditions and post-treatment infestations of Saltcedar and Russian olive invasions. Continued employment of methods utilized for baseline monitoring will demonstrate the long-term efficacy of different treatment methods and the influence of initial site conditions on results. This poster will discuss monitoring post-treatment plant communities for trends either toward or away from the desired plant community.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.