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In September 2000, the National Park Service's Natural Resource Preservation Program (NRPP) funded a three-year project to remove English ivy and other invasive, shade-tolerant plants from the Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP). This project was selected because it addresses a major, exponentially growing threat to the redwood ecosystem that can be reduced to only minor maintenance by taking immediate, decisive action. The link below tells the story as it is unfolding.
Exotic plant populations are mapped electronically on digital orthophotoquads (DOQ), or with a portable GPS. A typical location map for the NRPP English ivy project on a DOQ base is posted here. Additional maps and/or geographic coordinates of other past and present exotic plant infestations and control efforts may be posted in the future.
All exotic plant control actions in RNSP are closely tracked and documented. Each year, the exotic plant coordinator submits an annual report of progress with an attached cost spreadsheet. The principal cost in exotic plant control is labor. Inmate crews, California Conservation Corps crews, park staff, and volunteers all have contributed valuable time. The availability of various sources of labor varies from year to year.
From their first-hand experiences in the field, technical staff and volunteers are also encouraged to provide recommendations within the annual reports on ways to improve the effectiveness of future control actions. The exotic plant management annual reports and spreadsheets enable the RNSP exotics program manager to
Annual reports are posted here so that you may review the park's efforts. Your comments are welcome.
