WGA ‘15 Campout CITO – Control Invasives Take Out (Garlic Mustard)
As part of the WGA Campout festivities, Geocacher volunteers will assist Cynthia Mueller – Park Naturalist and Diana Beck –Fond du Lac County Audubon Member, with identifying and pulling Garlic Mustard – an invasive species in OUR Wisconsin Parks. The CITO has an educational emphasis for learning about invasive plants. Please take time to help out and learn what you can do beyond the park when we hide and seek caches by participating in our efforts to eradicate garlic mustard from High Cliff State Park. Review the websites listed at the bottom of the cache page for more information about Garlic Mustard.
This is a cooperative effort with the Fond du Lac Audubon members and WGA Geocachers against this invasive species. This is a great opportunity to introduce geocaching to birders and birders can introduce us to how invasive species affect bird habitat.
Where: High Cliff State Park – Meet at the Old General Store/Museum/Nature Area
When: Saturday, May 16th, from 1:00 – 3:00 PM
How Easy is Identification and Pulling? In the Spring of the year, identification and pulling is as easy as a 1 rating on the D/T grid. The roots are shallow for even young children to pull the plants out without difficulty.
Please post your “will attends” at least a week before the campout so the park staff will have an accurate count and finalize what we'll be doing. Cynthia will select the site, provide garbage bags, etc. for the pull. Nitrile gloves will be provided, however, you may prefer your own gloves. Garden gloves work about the best!
WHAT IS GARLIC MUSTARD?
Garlic Mustard is an invasive plant that was brought over to the United States by European settlers as an herb. Unfortunately, garlic mustard has spread virtually unchecked across the county and is a serious threat to the natural habitat.
Many land managers consider garlic mustard one of the most difficult to control invasive weeds, and hand pulling the weed is often the best way to control the spread.
Not only do these invasive weeds choke out native wildflowers, out-competing them for space and sunlight, but they also excrete chemicals through their roots further preventing wildflower growth.
Garlic mustard spreads into high quality woodlands upland and floodplain forests, not just into disturbed areas.
Invaded sites undergo a decline on native herbaceous cover within 10 years. Garlic mustard alters habitat suitability for native insects and thereby birds and mammals.
Garlic Mustard Distribution Map of the United States:
Websites with Information about Garlic Mustard and Other Invasive Species:
Midwest Invasive Plant Network: http://mipn.org/
United States Dept. of Interior: http://www.doi.gov//invasivespecies/index.cfm
Video Available at: http://www.in-sitevideo.com/wff/garlicmustard.html
Poster of Least Wanted: Garlic Mustard http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/alpe1.htm
Factsheet PDF File: http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/pdf/alpe1.pdf
This event is organized by a member of:
(click to visit our website)