Transcript Wide Area Management of Melaleuca quinquenervia

Melaleuca 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
“It’s a tree from hell.”
-Dan Thayer, 1990
“Only a continued and cohesive blitzkrieg will
achieve solid melaleuca control.”
-Mike Bodle, 1990
“Melaleuca is a biological disaster for
South Florida.”
-Congressman E. Clay Shaw, 1990
“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
“We’re getting kind of panicky, man.”
-Tony Pernas, 1993
Melaleuca Management
Historical Background
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1975 - Two Melaleuca workshops (FL FWCC)
1980 - Melaleuca symposium (FL Div. Forestry)
1982 - Exotic woody plant conference (Fairchild)
1984 - Exotic Woody Plant workshop (ENP)
1984 - Exotic Pest Plant Council formed
1986 - ENP Initiates Control Program
1988 - EPPC Exotic Pest Plant Symposium
1990 - Melaleuca Task Force
Melaleuca Task Force
January 1990
• Jointly convened by
 Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council
 South Florida Water Management District
• >30 participants:
 Federal, state, & local government representatives, scientists,
NGOs, private industry
• Objective:
 Develop a comprehensive strategy for managing melaleuca
throughout its range in Florida
Melaleuca 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:
EPPC Management Plan Approach
• Summarize current ecological knowledge
– identify research gaps
• Summarize existing control technologies
– what is working, and where
• Identify control technology research needs
– developing biological controls, improving chemical and
mechanical controls
• Develop plan to integrate and coordinate efforts
regionally
Melaleuca Management Plan
Defining the Problem
Extent of infestations:
• South of Hwy 60
• Mainly concentrated near areas
of early plantings
Early Assessment:
• Various techniques tried
Natural Areas
Melaleuca Distribution
 satellite images
 false color infrared
 aerial reconnaissance
• Estimates varied
 495,300 - 2.5 million acres
Melaleuca Management Plan
Defining the Problem
Summarize invasion of
native habitats
• Sawgrass prairies
• Cypress heads
• Pinelands
Ecological questions
• Reproductive ecology
• Florida vs. Australia
Melaleuca Management Plan
Defining the Problem
Summarize available control
options in 1990
Melaleuca tree that was controlled with
herbicides surrounded by “doghair”
seedlings
• 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 Plan
Recommendations
• Research
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


develop biological control agents
search for better ways to use herbicides
Develop ways to measure of infestation level
fill gaps in ecological knowledge
• Operations
• Education
Melaleuca Management Plan
Recommendations
• Research
• Operations
 establish melaleuca-free zones around ENP, Big Cypress,
WCAs, Holey Land, & Lake Okeechobee
 apply strategy of first removing outliers, then moving
progressively closer to focus of each infestation
 monitor sites for regrowth/seedlings up to 4 years posttreatment & retreat as needed
• Education
Melaleuca Management Plan
Recommendations
• Research
• Operations
• Education
 inform government officials about magnitude of problem &
need for funding
 inform resource managers of best control options &
opportunities resource sharing cost-sharing
 inform general public of problem & encourage removal of trees
on private property
Melaleuca Management Plan
Implementing the Plan
How quickly do infestations grow?
100
year
)
R2 = 0.94
80
(of 1 sq. mile section)
% Melaleuca infestation
% Infestation = 97.91/(1 + 77.52 x 0.74
60
40
20
Source: Laroche & Ferriter 1992
J. Aquatic Plant Manage. 30: 62-65
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
Year
1965
1990
• 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 Plan
Implementing the Plan
How much?
• Aerial surveys (SFWMD)
 flight lines every 2.5 mi
 coordinates (GPS) & density
recorded for every occurrence
• Conducted biannually
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


488,000 acres in 1993
453,000 acres in 1995
391,000 acres in 1997
359,000 acres in 1999
Melaleuca Management Plan
Implementing the Plan
Strategy
Eliminate existing
stands
• mechanical removal
• treat with herbicides
Halt expansion
Seed/sapling
mortality
• hand-pull saplings
• treat with herbicides
• damage by biocontrol
insects
Reduce seed
production
• 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 Plan
Implementing the Plan
Perform herbicide trials:
• 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%
Crew Transport
• Airboat
• Helicopter – a necessity in
early days of control in
Everglades
• ATV/ Buggy
Melaleuca Management Expenditures
(FY 91-01)
South Florida Water Management District
Big Cypress National Preserve
Everglades National Park
$21,649,322
$ 2,579,000
$ 3,548,000
Areas under Maintenance Control
Water Conservation Areas 2A, 3A, 3B
Lake Okeechobee
Everglades National Park
Big Cypress National Preserve
600,000 acres
100,000 acres
200,000 acres
100,000 acres
Distribution of Expenditures
Ground Application
Aerial application
Biocontrol
75%
15%
10%
Conceptual Model
Herbicides and Mechanical
Control
Reliance
Biological Control
Today
Time
Melaleuca Management Plan
Recommendations
• Research




develop biological control agents - Yes
search for better ways to use herbicides - Yes
Develop ways to measure of infestation level - Yes
fill gaps in ecological knowledge - Yes
• Operations
• Education
Melaleuca Management Plan
Recommendations
• Research
• Operations
 establish melaleuca-free zones around ENP, Big Cypress,
WCAs, Holey Land, & Lake Okeechobee - So-so
 apply strategy of first removing outliers, then moving
progressively closer to focus of each infestation – Yes on most
pubic lands
 monitor sites for regrowth/seedlings up to 4 years posttreatment & retreat as needed – Yes on most public lands
• Education
Melaleuca Management Plan
Recommendations
• Research
• Operations
• Education
 inform government officials about magnitude of problem &
need for funding - Yes
 inform resource managers of best control options &
opportunities resource sharing cost-sharing - Yes
 inform general public of problem & encourage removal of trees
on private property - Yes