Sarah Hamman (Center for Natural Lands Management) presented on a recent research project aimed at using multiple eradication methods to remove reed canary grass from sites along Muck Creek on JBLM. Sarah presented at the January 2017 NRC meeting.

1. Crea%ve strategies for wetland
restora%on
Sarah Hamman
Center for Natural Lands Management

2. Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)
dominates wetland and riparian areas across
the U.S.
• Considered non-na%ve in PNW but na%ve
in other areas of U.S.
• Reduces na%ve plant and invertebrate
diversity

3. Treatment Treatment Description
Mow-Burn (MB) Mow late July, when seedheads are forming
Burn September-October (weather-dependent)
Mow-Herbicide (MH) Mow early July when plant is bolting, seedheads are starting to form
Spray September, when there’s new green growth
Herbicide-Burn (HB) Spray August, when there’s active green growth
Burn September-October (weather-dependent)
Mow-Herbicide-Burn (MHB) Mow early July when plant is bolting, seedheads are starting to form
Spray new growth in early August, when there’s active green growth
Burn in Sept-October (weather-dependent)
Control No treatment
RCG Removal Treatments
• All treatments were applied in 10m x 10m plots in 3 sites:
Watkins, Johnson, Training Area 14
• Treatments applied in 2011, 2012, 2013
• In 2014, 20 Juncus supiniformis plants planted in each plot
• Monitored vegeta%on in 2014, 2015, 2016 in 8 - 1m2 quadrats/plot

4. MH
MB
MHB
HB
C
MB HB MHB MH C
MH
MB
MHB HB C
Training Area 14 Johnson Marsh Watkins Marsh

5. Treatment effects on reed canary grass
0"
10"
20"
30"
40"
50"
60"
70"
80"
90"
100"
Control" MB" HB" MH" MHB"
Percent"cover"reed"canary"grass"
Reed"canary"grass"
Other"NonBnaCves"
a"
a"
b" b"
b"

6. Treatment effects on vegeta%on
0"
1"
2"
3"
4"
5"
6"
Control" MB" BH" MH" MBH"
Species"Richness"
Na<ve"Richness"
Nonna<ve"Richness"
MBH>Na<ve:Control>Na<ve"p=0.0371"
a"
b
a"
ab"
ab"
HB

7. 0"
10"
20"
30"
40"
50"
60"
70"
80"
90"
100"
Control" MB" HB" MH" MHB"
Percent"Cover"Thatch"
0"
5"
10"
15"
20"
25"
30"
35"
40"
45"
Control" MB" HB" MH" MHB"
Depth"(cm)"
a"
b"
b"
b"
b"
Thatch

8. Control MB MH HB MHB
Watkins Marsh 2014

9. Juncus supiniformis survival
0"
10"
20"
30"
40"
50"
60"
70"
80"
90"
MB" HB" MH" MBH"
Percent"survival"
ab ab
b
a

11. Coconut coir pre-vegetated mats

13. Stafford Creek Correc%onal Center
Aquaculture Facility Fish tank – Koi!
Nitrifica%on tank
Pla`orm beds for mats
Filtra%on tanks

14. Pre-vegetated mat
RCG pre-treatment areas-
either Mow-Herbicide or
Mow-Solarize
1m x 1m monitoring plot
3m
3m
4m
12m

15. Deep
Shallow