WARREN — The Allegheny National Forest began treating non-native invasive plants along Longhouse Scenic Drive, commonly known as Forest Road 262, on July 8, in order to reduce noxious weed growth.
In order to be able to see what has and has not been sprayed, to minimize non-target plant spraying, a FDA approved blue marker dye is used. The dye will fade within a few days and after a rain event as plants die from herbicide application. This work is part of the five-year non-native invasive plants treatment contract that was initiated last summer.
The two of the main targets for this treatment are Japanese stiltgrass, which is found along Longhouse Scenic Drive, and multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora). Multiflora rose is a Pennsylvania listed Noxious weed. Japanese stiltgrass is an annual grass that is native to Asia that was first documented in the United States in Tennessee in 1919 and has successfully colonized most of the eastern coast as far as Texas.
On the Allegheny National Forest, it is mostly found along road corridors and starting to invade into the forest. Japanese stiltgrass can quickly invade any type of habitat, including forest and non-forest areas, floodplains, wetlands, roadsides, ditches, rights of way, and recreation trails. It can form extensive patches, and occupy large areas of land, by outcompeting native plants for limited resources.
This can result in habitat degradation; a loss of suitable habitat for many plant and animal species; changes to soil nutrients and composition; reductions in tree seedling germination and recruitment; and lower plant and animal diversity.
It is recognized that ‘weeds know no boundaries’ and that effective long-term non-native invasive plant treatment within the Allegheny National Forest also includes working cooperatively with adjacent landowners. Through the Allegheny Plateau Invasive Plant Management Area (APIPMA), which is a collaboration of conservation agencies, organizations, private industry and concerned citizens, we are working toward that goal, for more information on APIPMA see the McKean County Conservation District website.
For more information on Allegheny National Forest Invasive Plant Program contact April Moore atapril.moore@usda.gov or 814-363-6069.
