Tall Oatgrass
Arrhenatherum elatius
Grass family
Where is it from?
- Tall oatgrass is a perennial grass native to the Mediterranean region.
Where are you likely to find it?
- Bald Hills prairies and pastures throughout Humboldt County
and elsewhere.
- Tall oatgrass was introduced about 100 years ago as forage for
livestock.
- It has expanded it range in the Bald Hills prairies of the
Redwood National and State Parks.
What makes it a "BAD" plant?
- Tall oatgrass is taller and more aggressive than any of the
native Bald Hills prairie plants.
- Unless grazed or burned, it spreads year after year, displacing
native species.
- Research shows that the native Roosevelt elk make little use
of tall oatgrass in the diets.
- Tall oatgrass is a threat to the integrity of the Bald Hills
prairie ecosystem.
How do you get rid of it?
- Intense livestock grazing keeps it short so that it cannot
outcompete other plants, especially when the grazing is
concentrated in late spring.
- Fall burns every two or three years greatly slows its advance.
One of the goals of the parks' prescribed burn program in
the Bald Hills is to slow the spread of this invasive grass.
Other benefits of burning the park's native grasslands
are 1) control of invading trees and 2) rejuvenation of
grassland plants by comsuming dead thatch. The newly
burned grasslands attract elk because of their greater
forage value.
- Eliminating tall oatgrass from areas where it is already well
established is presently beyond our means. Current efforts
focus on minimizing its further spread. Further biological
research and comparative field trials might show us cost
effectively how to reduce tall oatgrass' dominance of the
prairies and how to restore the displaced native species.
What can you do to help?
- To get involved in control of this and other invasive plant
species, please sign up as a Volunteer
in Parks (VIP).
