CNIPM Audio minutes 04/04/07
Facilitator/Notetaker: Jeff Heys (National Park Service)
Participants
Barb Schrader, US Forest Service, Juneau
Blythe Brown, Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District
Caleb Slemmons, Homer Soil and Water Conservation District
Calvin Steele, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Palmer
Chris McKee, US Forest Service, Seward
Deena Jallen, UAF Cooperative Extension Service, Fairbanks
Denny Lassuy, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage
Gino Graziano, Alaska Association of Conservation Districts, Palmer
Jamie Nielsen, UAF Cooperative Extension Service, Anchorage
Jeff Heys, National Park Service, Anchorage
Larry Johnson, Alaska Department of Transportation, Fairbanks
Linda Shaw, National Marine Fisheries Service, Juneau
Michael Rasy, UAF Cooperative Extension Service, Anchorage
Paul Shaw, Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District
Phil Kaspari, Delta/Salcha Soil and Water Conservation District
Stephen Nickel, Alaska Division of Forestry, Anchorage
Steve Seefeldt, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Fairbanks
Chris McKee
Elizabeth Bella is coming up in May for her last season of field season data
collection for PhD research and is currently preparing a manuscript for
Biological Invasions on some aspect of range expansions on the Kenai.
Surveys this summer on Seward District and elsewhere on the Chugach NF
Developing a Chugach NF website for invasive plants
Finalizing management agreement for SAGA crews to perform control work,
prioritizing efforts on particular infestations during first couple of weeks in
July – coordinated by Chris and Betty Charnon (Glacier Ranger District)
Budget meetings in Anchorage – proposal for weed-free forage requirement, lack
of availability on the Kenai and Delta was deemed too far away to require
folks to use weed-free forage – the Chugach is one of the few NFs not to
have requirement on the books.
Dandelion Festival in Seward – historic event being revived to celebrate the uses
of dandelion – conflict of interest for Federal agencies; appreciates
Jamie’s perspective on cooperation rather than confrontation, but FS will
not be participating this year.
Steve Nickel
Community Forestry Grants- recommended against Prunus padus in a project.
Earth Day at Russian Jack – will have an invasive plants booth.
Linda Shaw
First CNIPM call, mostly interested in listening in – NMFS is concerned with
aquatic and riparian plants that could change habitat.
Haines Hwy project – DOT creation of wetlands along the Klahini River, found
reed canarygrass – is anyone interested in pursuing this issue? Funding
availability? Folks in Haines don’t seem to be taking much interest.
Perception that it’s beyond immediate responsibility of DOT project
management. Tlingit-Haida many be interested. Maybe lack of funding is
inhibiting progress.
Larry recommendes looking for front-end funding from future Federal projects;
DOT would be open to allowing control to proceed. DOT knows there’s
invasives, but no funding – front-end could be funded.
Caleb – Kenai CWMA – 2nd year of project funded by EPA focused on reed
canarygrass research and control, pilot management efforts this summer.
Larry Johnson
Recommends the Invasive Species Cookbook for the Dandelion Festival
Trying to make sure that roadside work is communicated with DOT supervisors;
let Larry know if you’re planning significant roadside work.
Comment period for new pesticide regulations ends on 4/13
Working with ARS and UAF, experimental control work in Delta, possibly Valdez.
Jamie Nielsen and Michael Rasy
CNIPM conference dates – November 14 & 15 in Fairbanks Princess –
November 13 for Alaska Invasive Species Working Group?
Revising Selected Invasive Plants of Alaska pocket guide – add purple
loosestrife – lots of demand for these booklets and they’re nearly out
Working on Integrated Pest Management website with large weeds component
Working with Ann Ferguson and Charlie Knight on a CAPS program proposal for
thorough Anchorage loosestrife survey
An Anchorage Cooperative Weed Management Area has not been formed due to
lack of interest by the Anchorage Soil and Water Conservation District –
meeting to develop an alternative model: Luisa Wolflein offered up the
Campbell Creek Science Center for a date in mid-May to be announced
soon. Gino can’t start an Anchorage CWMA; Municipality could be a good
hosting organization.
Blythe Brown and Paul Shaw
Commercial Fish booth exhibition success - major Kodiak event
Refuge writing Integrated Pest Management Plan for Canada thistle, 1 infestation
in Uganik Bay on Maritime Refuge.
Preparing for visits to setnet sites for invasive surveys
Recent Alaska Association of Conservation Districts meeting provided valuable
sharing of information among Cooperative Weed Management Areas
Caleb Slemmons
Homer hasn’t seen that Canada thistle can disperse by seed – dioecious, unable
to cross – hasn’t spread beyond initial infestations. See Caleb’s follow-up
CNIPM email for pertinent info on Canada thistle (suggests that early in
establishment spreads vegetatively, but once male and female
populations are closer together, viable seed production begins)
Alaska Assocation of Conservation Districts conference was helpful – impressed
with Delta projects
Invasive Weed Workshop – May 17 in Homer at Kachemak Bay campus – info
will be sent to listserve once finalized
Kenai AKEPIC data issues being resolved
Subdivision out East End Rd. marketed as low environmental Impact – Caleb’s
developing a covenant to prohibit use of invasive garden and landscaping
plants; sent to listserve
Developing an online photo gallery of Kenai invasive plants – please contribute
photos, and you will be acknowledged – part of invasive plants curriculum,
about which many teachers were excited while others didn’t care
No interest yet among forage producers for weed-free certification – but if there
were a market created by the Chugach NF, it could happen.
Steve Seefeldt
In England, Canada thistle is called creeping thistle
Last month – Western Society of Weed Science – 5 Alaska representatives –
Steve, 3 grad students, and Whitney Rapp (NPS)
Control research in Talkeetna in June, assisted by the National Park Service
Does anyone know of Canada thistle or perennial sowthistle on private land in
Valdez area? For wet-blade treatment to compare with lower 48 trials. Phil
recommends calling the city of Valdez
Orange hawkweed – milestone by far the best, Tordon + Telar (Glean)
Yellow toadflax – nothing worked
Jamie: can control trial results be made available via CES website? Steve:
Technical Bulletin could be an avenue for pre-publication availability.
Barb Schrader
Region working with State and Private Forestry on invasive plant inventory
contracts – Chugach and Tongass – and planning FY08 funding
What constitutes a viable source of weed-free forage – could CNIPM address
this? How much is enough? Phil: it has been the intention to have a
directory of producers with tonnage.
How to estimate demand? How many horses are there on the trails? Chickenand-egg scenario. Packing bales or pellets? Caleb: hay pellets – dog
mushers could be the main users of bales.
Back of the envelope calculations of demand – rough analysis would be helpful
Deena Jallen
Alaska Invasive Species Working Group – Alaska Department of Fish and Game
has funded her position further – currently wrapping up other projects
Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education table on invasives
Next AISWG teleconference: 4/10 at 10 am
Face-to-face meeting on 5/1 in Anchorage
Calvin Steele
Do outfitters pay a fee on the NF? Yes – could there be a financial incentive for
the use of weed-free forage rather than a requirement?
NRCS Cost-share programs: list of noxious and invasive plants has been
prepared for higher ranking among other pests for pest management
funding – 30-40 species – will send the list to the listserve
Application period for Environmental Quality Incentive Program (agricultural only)
and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program are open year-round, though the
cut-off for this summer’s funded projects recently passed. Contact field
offices to sign up – this spring could be a good time for next year’s
funding, so that projects could be evaluated on the ground this summer for
the development of a good plan.
Phil Kaspari
Re: does Canada thistle successfully seed in Alaska? It certainly goes to seed,
but unknown – Jeff Conn may have experimented with germination
Herbicides listed for turf & lawn for hawkweed – New Farm product, registered as
Escalade II and Horsepower. Tom Jahns will be doing trails – alternative
to clopyralid (no longer labeled for residential use
Training for weed-free forage inspection in Fairbanks on 4/25 at the Tanana
District Cooperative Extension Service office.
Gino Graziano
Canada thistle seed doesn’t travel far relative to other species.
Will hear about NFWF – Pulling Together Initiative educational grant notification
at the end of the month. Will be out of the office soon, once his baby is
born.
Weed-free forage available in Palmer – update of forage listing to include
providers.
Promote native dandelions at Seward Dandelion Festival
Gino has finally gotten GIS – out of the Stone Age
Rapid Response grant proposals have just been received, notification will go out
relatively soon (US Forest Service funded, Cooperative Weed
Management Area based)
Projects were proposed by the Kodiak, Palmer, Wasilla, Upper-Su districts –
others still have funds remaining
Denny Lassuy
Coastal Program (Habitat Conservation program, John DeLapp and Neil Stichert
– broad scope, coastal ecosystem maintenance or restoration, match
favored, from research to management) – funding announcement in the
next couple weeks – several invasive proposals; RFP each January for
$5K-$25K
From Jeanne Standley, BLM - she has:
 weed collection bags - these are designed for unknown plant collection for
identification purposes.
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wanted posters for purple loosestrife, spotted knapweed, Canada thistle.
Flyers - War on Weeds, winning it for wildlife
and more. Contact Jeanne_Standley@ak.blm.gov if you would like any of
these publications at no cost.
Jeff Heys
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve has added to their compendium
(2007 regulations) that all hay/straw brought in for forage must be certified
weed-free. This was only possible because of the proximity to Delta
Junction, but perhaps Kenny Lake will also get on board.
The Invasive Plant Management Plan for all Alaska National Park units is in the
stage of impact assessment of two aternatives: one without the use of
herbicides (status quo) and one where they could be used only under very
specific circumstances. A variety of resources are evaluated by an
interdisciplinary team for the affected environment and impacts of either
alternative. The document should be available for public review this
summer, and the review period will be announced on the CNIPM listserve.
This year fieldwork (inventory, control, monitoring, and restoration) will be
conducted by 7 employees and 3 interns in the following parks, with parks
with season-long employees listed in bold:
Denali NP&Pr
Gates of the Arctic NP&Pr
Glacier Bay NP&Pr
Katmai NP&Pr
Kenai Fjords NP
Klondike Gold Rush NHP
Lake Clark NP&Pr
Noatak NPr
Sitka NHP
Wrangell-St. Elias NP&Pr
Yukon-Charley Rivers NPr
The Tribal Civilian Community Corps program (AmeriCorps, based in Nenana)
will provide 14 weeks of work crews to assist with control of large
infestations in the parks listed above.