09-03-13 ECO Season Recap

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09-03-13 ECO Season Recap

September 3, 2013

Joshua Lisbon, Jess Kindred, and Noah Schuettge share a recap of the second half of the summer 2013 Education and Outreach intern program.

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ECO Summer Internship Field Note June 10 -August 22

Invasive Species RemovalThe ECO crew prioritized Houndstongue removal at sites the NSW crew treated in 2012. Repeat treatments focused on the roads around spike camp and the northeast corner of Davis Creek. Houndstongue seeds are only viable for 1-2 years on average. Our return to last year’s sites clears out the remaining seed bank.

The crew removed Houndstongue at the North Center Pivot and around the rock quarry/ECO intern camp.

We assisted Molly and Sara with Kochia scoparia and general weed removal at the feed lot and the pasture to the NW of the corn fields.

Campion (Silene latifolia) grows among native species in the North Center Pivot. ECO interns cleared 8.5 acres of the infestation with weed whackers.

The crew collected Spotted knapweed weevils at the southern boundary and treated a patch of weevil-free knapweed on Mt. Baldy.

Once we remove invasive plants, native plants must replace them for successful restoration. The ECO crew collected native seeds from plants like Basin Wildrye (Leymus cinercus) for cultivation.

We collected Basin Wildrye in three locations: the wildlife protection area on the north end, the plantation near the orchard house, and the drainage in lower woodchuck.

ECO Interns collect Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) into garbage bags. Yarrow’s tiny seeds fall through our regular seed collection bags.

We collected Rough Fescue (Festuca campestris) on ridges above the rock quarry and the switchback northwest of section 16.

Idaho Fescue (Festuca idahoensis) and Owl’s Clover (Orthocarpus sp.) collected on the ridge above the rock quarry.

Species Collected: Heterotheca villosa - Hairy Goldenaster Lomatium dissectum – Fernleaf Biscuitroot Pseudoroegnia spicata – Bluebunch Wheatgrass Festuca idahoensis – Idaho Fescue Festuca campestris – Rough Fescue Hesperostipa comata – Needle and Thread Lewisia rediviva - Bitterroot Gaillardia aristata – Blanketflower Leymus cinereus – Basin Wildrye Allium cernuum – Nodding Onion Poa secunda – Sandberg’s Bluegrass Erigeron pumilis – Shaggy Fleabane Geum triflorum – Prairiesmoke Achillea millefolium – Yarrow Orthocarpus sp. – Owl’s Clover Balsamorhiza sagittata – Arrowleaf BalsamrootSpecies Collected: Heterotheca villosa - Hairy Goldenaster Lomatium dissectum – Fernleaf Biscuitroot Pseudoroegnia spicata – Bluebunch Wheatgrass Festuca idahoensis – Idaho Fescue Festuca campestris – Rough Fescue Hesperostipa comata – Needle and Thread Lewisia rediviva - Bitterroot Gaillardia aristata – Blanketflower Leymus cinereus – Basin Wildrye Allium cernuum – Nodding Onion Poa secunda – Sandberg’s Bluegrass Erigeron pumilis – Shaggy Fleabane Geum triflorum – Prairiesmoke Achillea millefolium – Yarrow Orthocarpus sp. – Owl’s Clover Balsamorhiza sagittata – Arrowleaf Balsamroot

The ECO crew helps MPG restore a pond ecosystem near the Clubhouse

ECO Interns learn to identify sedges and rushes to transplant.

Pond restoration site at MPG

List of species transplanted: Carex utricata Carex vesicaria Carex sp. two species of Eleocharis, Schoenoplectus sp. (bulrush) Nuphar luteum (yellow cow lily).ECO Interns tow the wetland plants for transplanting.

The ECO crew removed barbed wire in Tongue Creek

The map at the top shows the length of fence extracted from Tongue creek, a key point of migration for ungulate populations on MPG.

ECO interns haul the wire and posts out of Tongue creek. The map tracks the path out in red.

Before and after photos of the Tongue creek hillside

SEASON TOTALS: Campion Removal: • 8.5 acres in North Center Pivot Houndstongue Removal: • 26.14 acres in North Center Pivot • .28 miles of road near Spike Camp • .9 acres in camp/ Rock Quarry • .92 miles of road in NE corner of Davis Creek Kochia Removal: • 9.52 acres north of Feedlot • 2.32 acres in Feedlot Mistletoe Removal: • 141 Douglas firs girdled Seed collection: • 16 different native species collected Wetland transplants: • 3 boat loads of plants Fence removal: • 1.5 miles

Previous Field Note

06-25-13 Bird Field Note