CalEPPCNewsVolume 6 � Number 4

A quarterlypublication

of the CaliforniaExotic Pest Plant Council

IN THIS ISSUE

Volunteer displays rooted Arundo donax washed onshore during El Niño storms.See page 5 for article. Photo by Annette Shears

President�s Messageby Mike Pitcairn .................... p. 3

Results of CalEPPCQuestionnaireby Joe DiTomaso ................ p. 4

CalWeed Databaseby Steve Schoenig ............... p. 6

Invasive New Zealand Weedsby Graham Harris ............... p. 8

Symposium on InvasiveWeeds at WSSby Jodie Holt ...................... p. 8

CalEPPC News

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Officers

President Mike Pitcairn email; <mpitcairn@cdfa.ca.gov>Vice-president Joe DiTomaso email: <jmditomaso@ucdavis.edu>Secretary Anne Knox email: <aknox@ca.blm.gov>Treasurer Sally Davis email: <sallydavis@aol.com>Past-president Ann Howald email: <dfleland@compuserve.com>

At-large Board MembersGreg Archbald email: <greg_archbald@ggnpa.org>Joe Balciunas email: <joebalci@pw.usda.gov>Carla Bossard email: <bossard3@pacbell.net>Tom Dudley* email: <tududley@socrates.berkeley.edu>Mike Kelly email: <mkellysd@aol.com>Jo Kitz* email: <mtnsrt@aol.com>John Randall email: <jarandall@ucdavis.edu>Steve Schoenig* email: <sschoenig@cdfa.ca.gov>Ellie Wagner* email: <ewagner@trmx3.dot.ca.gov>Peter Warner* email: <warner@sonoma.edu>

*Board Members whose terms expire December 31, 1999

Working Group Chairpersons

Arundo Nelroy Jackson 909.279.7787 nejack@monsanto.comArtichoke thistle Mike Kelly 619.566.6489 mkellysd@aol.comBrooms Karen Haubensak 510.643.5430 karenh@socrates.berkeley.eduCape ivy Greg Archbald 415.561.3034,ex.3425 greg_archbald@ggnpa.orgCortaderia spp. Joe DiTomaso 530.754.8715 jmditomaso@ucdavis.eduEuphorbia Jo Kitz 818.346.9675 mtnsrt@aol.comFennel Jennifer Erskin 530.753.8193 jaerskine@ucdavis.eduLepidium Joel Trumbo 916.355.0128 jtrumbo@hg.dfg.ca.govSaltcedar Bill Neill 714.779.2099 bneill@unocal.comSpartina spp. Steve Jones 510.803.7011 jonessteve@worldnet.att.netSpurge Jo Kitz 818.346.9675 mtnsrt@aol.comVeldtrass Dave Chipping 805.528.0914 dchippin@calpoly.comVolunteers Pete Halloran 415.647.5300 peteholloran@igc.orgYellow starthistle Mike Pitcairn 916.262.2049 mpitcairn@cdfa.ca.gov

Editor Sally Davis 32912 Calle del Tesoro, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675ph. 949.487.5473 email: sallydavis@aol.com

CalEPPC�s web site: http://www.caleppc.org

Please Note:The California Exotic Pest Plant Council is aCalifornia 501(c)3 non-profit, public benefitcorporation organized to provide a focus for issuesand concerns regarding exotic pest plants inCalifornia, and is recognized under federal and statetax laws as a qualified donee for tax deduciblecharitable contributions.

Who We AreCalEPPC NEWS is published quarterlyby the California Exotic Pest PlantCouncil, a non-profit organization. Theobjects of the organization are to:

j provide a focus for issues andconcerns regarding exotic pestplants in California;

j facilitate communication and theexchange of information regardingall aspects of exotic pest plantcontrol and management;

j provide a forum where all interestedparties may participate in meetingsand share in the benefits from theinformation generated by thiscouncil;

j promote public understandingregarding exotic pest plants andtheir control;

j serve as an advisory council regard-ing funding, research, managementand control of exotic pest plants;

j facilitate action campaigns tomonitor and control exotic pestplants in California; and

j review incipient and potential pestplant management problems andactivities and provide relevantinformation to interested parties.

1999 CalEPPC Officers andBoard Members

The articles contained herein were contributed to the CalEPPC newsletter.These articles represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarilyreflect the views of CalEPPC. Although herbicide recommendations mayhave been reviewed in contributed articles, CalEPPC does not guaranteetheir accuracy with regard to efficiancy, safety, or legality.

Submission Dates for CalEPPC NewsIf you would like to submit a news item, an article, a meeting announcement, or job oppor-tunity for publication in the CalEPPC News, they must be received by the deadlines listedbelow. Editor reserves the right to edit all submissions. Send your text/disk/emailto editor�s address above.

Submission Dates:

Spring April 15 Fall October 15Summer July 15 Winter January 15

CalEPPC News

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�Few of the nativedesert flora, suchas Joshua trees,yucca, and creo-sote bushes, cansurvive these lowground fires ...�

President�s MessageMike Pitcairn

CalEPPC�s Symposium �98 isover. It was held October 2-4 at

the Ontario Airport Sheraton Hotelin Ontario in southern Californiaand, I must say, it was anotherexcellent symposium. The speakerswere interesting, stimulating, andinspiring, and the field trips wereeducational and focused.

This year�s meeting highlightedtwo important aspects of exoticweed removal: working safely,whether with hand equipment orapplying herbicides, and workingtogether through volunteer crews.All speakers are to be congratulatedon their excellent presentations.This symposium could not have hap-pened without the work of severalindividuals. Carl Bell, BrendaOuwerkerk, Jo Kitz, Nelroy Jack-son, and Pete Holloran made up theProgram Committee. Thank you forarranging this year�s outstandingspeakers.

Nelroy Jackson and Sally Davisarranged for use of the hotel, Sat-urday�s banquet luncheon, and madesure the necessary audio/visualequipment, refreshments, etc., wereprovided when needed. Thanks toboth of you. Barbara Leitner orga-nized the poster session again thisyear. Thank you for a job well done.

Christine Berry and Matt Brooksled the full-day field trip and PaulFrandsen, Nelroy Jackson, andJennifer Nocera led the half-dayfield trip. Thanks to all of you foryour efforts.

I attended the full-day field tripwhich was excellent, and I heardonly positive comments regardingthe half-day trip. The full-day tripfocused on the impact of aliengrasses invading the Mojave Desert.Their primary impact is the intro-duction of ground fires into areaswhere fire historically had not been

present. Usually, there are largeareas of bare ground among thenative vegetation in the desert, butfollowing the invasion of aliengrasses these bare areas are coveredwith a carpet of short grasses. Whendry in mid-summer, the grasses carrylow ground fires throughout an area.Few of the native desert flora, suchas Joshua trees, yucca, and creosote

bushes, can survive these fires. Thegrasses readily re-invade the burnedareas and after a second fire, littlenative vegetation remains.

Matt and Christine showed usareas of the desert that have had nofires, one fire within the last tenyears, and two fires within the lastten years. The change in flora frommixed native vegetation to almost allgrasses was astounding and scary.

Not surprisingly, this change invegetation impacts the native faunaas well, in particular the deserttortoise. Christine gave an interest-ing presentation on desert tortoisebiology and the current researchthat is being performed. I encourageanyone who has not been on one ofCalEPPC�s field trips to attend onenext year.

Next year�s symposium isplanned for the Sacramento areaand efforts to organize it are alreadyunderway. I hope you are planningto attend. j

Letter tothe Editor

Two years ago, I was asked to filla position on the CalEPPC

Board of Directors for a mid-termvacancy. I knew I �didn�t have time�to take on this additional timecommitment and...heaven forbid...additional work. Nevertheless, Ienthusiastically said YES! Two yearslater, as I leave the board, due tonew career priorities, I wish I couldonce again say YES, and more! Theexperience of working with theCalEPPC Board and members is oneI would gladly commit time to.

I�d like to thank each of theCalEPPC board members andofficers for the fantastic, interesting,worthwhile two-year experience. Ifelt my limited time was neverwasted, and I learned so much aboutexotic pest plants and people! I alsomade some friends that I will neverforget.

I�d like to encourage eachCalEPPC member to considerparticipating in CalEPPC beyond justthe annual Symposium or workinggroups. The strength of CalEPPC isthe leadership of the board, and thediversity and passionate commitmentof our members toward the preven-tion, discovery, and control of exoticpest plants. Through individualswilling to say YES, CalEPPC hasgained a highly respected leadershipreputation throughout California, theUnited States, and the world.

I am very proud to be a part ofthis organization, and am glad I saidYES!

Brenda W. Ouwerkerk

CalEPPC News

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Results of the CalEPPC Questionnaire atSymposium �98 in Ontario by Joe DiTomaso

Many thanks to those who took the time to complete the questionnaire at the CalEPPCSymposium held in Ontario. There were 46 completed surveys. The following is asummary of the tabulated results:

What are your major invasive weed problems?Of the 66 species listed by those responding to the survey, only the top 27 species are listed below. These representspecies (or plant groups) reported to be invasive by at least 5% of those responding.

Yellow starthistle (50%); Eucalyptus spp. (22%); purple starthistle (11%); annual grasses (48%); brome grasses (21%);gorse (9%); other thistles (44%); ice plant (20%);Vinca spp. (9%); Arundo donax (39%); Brassica spp. (17%);red brome (9%); Cortaderia spp. (39%); tocalote (13%); tree tobacco (9%); saltcedar (37%); Ailanthus altissima (13%);poison hemlock (7%); brooms (33%); perennial pepperweed (13%); Acacia spp. (7%); Cape ivy (30%); castor bean(11%); Himalaya blackberry (7%); fennel (22%); Ammophila sp. (11%); Spartina sp. (7%).

What are your major job responsibilities?Most people indicated more than one area of responsibility. Of those responding, 80% were involved in fieldwork,48% in administration, 37% in public education, 11% in research, and 7% in academic education. Other categorieswere also listed but represented less that 5%.

Are you employed by a:60% by public agencies, 13% by private companies, 11% by non-profit organizations, 9% were concerned citizensnot employed to manage invasive weeds, 6% were associated with academic institutions, and 2% employed byhomeowner associations.

In what areas do you primarily work?Riparian ecosystems (65%); roadsides (33%); coastal dunes (4%); coastal wildlands (48%); forests (30%);industrial sites (2%); wetlands (48%); prairie (grasslands) (28%); recreational areas (2%); rangeland (37%); marineaquatic (9%); turf/landscapes (2%); foothill wildlands (33%); utility areas (9%); development sites (2%); freshwateraquatic (33%); desert (7%); alluvial fan scrub (2%).

What control methods do you use for managing invasive weeds?After thousands of years, hand-pulling still remains the most commonly used method of weed control.Hand-pulling (76%); reseeding (30%); insect biocontrol (11%); cut stump herbicide (63%); intensive grazing (24%);rope wick herbicides (7%); broadcast herbicide (50%); picks, shovel, loppers, chainsaw, machete (20%); basal sprayherbicides (7%); mowing (46%); weed whipping (15%); irrigation (4%); prescribed burning (43%); tillage (15%); spotspray herbicides 4%); weed wrench (39%); rotational grazing (13%); herbicide injection (2%); hack and squirt (30%);heavy equipment, e.g. dozers, brush rake, backhoe, ripping (11%).

Do you supervise volunteers in your weed management efforts?Yes (56%); no (44%)

If yes, what type of volunteers do you supervise?General public (79%); school children (44%); members of environmental or conservation organizations (76%);prisoners (40%); youth groups (56%).

Do you directly use herbicides or supervise those who do?80% of the total responses either directly supervised, used or both supervised and used herbicides. Directly use(11%); supervise use (16%); both (52%); neither (20%).

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How frequently do you use herbicide (growing season)?Of those indicating that they use herbicides 24% use them once to a couple of times a year, 29% use them aboutonce a month, and 47% use them once a week or more.

Which herbicides do you use for invasive weed control?A number of products were mentioned. To simplify this, the list is organized by the active ingredient. For example,both Rodeo and Roundup contain glyphosate, the active ingredient. Garlon, Remedy, Brush-B-Gon, and Pathfinder contain triclopyr. Glyphosate was used by everyone who indicated that they used herbicides.

Glyphosate (100%); Sethoxydim (6%); MSMA (3%); Triclopyr (69%); Fluazifop (6%); Oryzalin (3%); Clopyralid(20%); Chlorsulfuron (3%); Oxadiazon (3%); 2,4-D (11%); Imazapyr (3%); Dicamba (9%); Diuron (3%).

Do you use integrated weed management strategies?Yes (73%); No (27%)

Are you a licensed or certified applicator?Yes (39%); No (61%)

In your weed control efforts, do you include site restoration?Yes (62%); No (38%)

If yes, briefly indicate what type of restoration effort you implement.Of the 23 responding that they included site restoration, most replanted with native species. The techniques usedincluded hydroseeding, planting container plants, drill seeding perennial grass seed, plug planting, broadcastseeding, pole planting. Others encouraged recovery of existing native seed banks.

What area of the state does your job responsibilities cover?Of those attending the symposium in Ontario, approximately 44% had job responsibilities within Southern Califor-nia, 28% in Central California, 21% in the Bay Area or Northern California, and 7% in the Sierra Nevada.Following is a more specific breakdown: Southern California (20%); San Diego (7%); North Coast (5%); CentralCoast (20%); Central Valley (7%); Northern Valley (2%); So. Calif. Desert (11%); Sierra Nevada (7%); NorthernCalifornia (2%); Bay Area (11%); Los Angeles (5%); Entire state (2%). j

Survey (cont�d)

The Weed from Hell Arrives in Paradiseby Frank Starkey, Catalina Island Conservancy

Living on Santa Catalina Island,we are accustomed to welcom-

ing non-natives which show up onour shores. They are usually arrivevia a ferry and stay for a brief time inone of the hotels in Avalon. Thispast spring we had a vast number ofunwelcome non-natives rafting tothe island�s beaches and coves,staying and taking root. The springstorms had washed Arundo donaxfrom mainland river channels andthen out to sea. Thousands, literally

tons, of the �Weed from Hell�floated across the twenty-six milechannel and washed ashore onto ourparadise.

Once here, even after soaking insalt water for several weeks, anumber of the rhizomes still had thetenacity to take root and send outvigorous new sprouts. Knowing thewell-earned reputation of Arundowreaking havoc on native plants andhabitat, the Catalina Island Conser-vancy mobilized staff and volunteers

to hit the beaches, searching for andremoving this new threat. Sixmonths after the initial episode westill encounter new sprouts in areasin which we had previously removedplants.

We are hopeful that the earlyremoval efforts and follow-up moni-toring will prevent this unwelcomenon-native from getting a foothold inour island paradise. j

CalEPPC News

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Access Weed Control InformationThrough the CalWeed Databaseby Steve Schoenig, California Department of Food and Agriculture

The CalWeed database, offeringinformation on weed control

projects throughout California, is upand running. CalWeed is anInternet-based searchable databasecontaining information aboutnoxious weed control projectswithin the state. The project beganas a subcommittee effort of theCalifornia Interagency NoxiousWeed Coordinating Committee(CINWCC). Led by staff of theCalifornia Department of Food andAgriculture, the inventory ofprojects has received additionalfunding from the Bureau of LandManagement�s California office.The Committee hopes that thedatabase will serve as a useful toolto agency staff, researchers, biolo-gists, and the public by facilitatingthe exchange of weed controlinformation. Above all, it shouldserve as a networking tool for staffwith weed control and land manage-ment responsibilities.

An agreement with the Univer-sity of California�s InformationCenter for the Environment (ICE)has allowed CalWeed to resideunder the larger umbrella of theNatural Resource Projects Inventory(NRPI), another Internet-baseddatabase. The NRPI structure allowsthe weed control project informa-tion to be available through eitherits own Web site, specific just toweeds, or under a more generalWeb site which will access projectdescriptions for all resource man-agement work being reported inCalifornia.

Visit CalWeed at:http://endeavor.des.ucdavis.edu/weeds/

Projects which qualify for thisdatabase attempt to eradicate orreduce the number of noxiousweeds in California. The empha-sis of CalWeed is on weedsdeemed noxious by the Californiadepartment of Food and Agricul-ture, or considered a threat towildlands by the California ExoticPest Plant Council.

The focus of the database ison projects that target specificweeds for control. These can beweeds that threaten natural areas,rangelands, open spaces, oragriculture. There is less interestin non-specific vegetation man-agement or biomass abatement.Weed control for urban land-scapes and intensive productionagriculture is also not emphasizedin CalWeed.

Projects should be in an activeor maintenance phase; historicalprojects are currently outside thescope of our efforts. j

WhatConstitutesa CalWeedProject?

CalWeed provides viewers withshort reports on various weedcontrol efforts. Information availablefor a specific project includes:

� project title, purpose, andabstract

� weed targeted for control� project contact� cooperators, funders, and

landowners� general location and

habitat information� control methods used

A visitor to the site can view acomplete list of CalWeed�s projects,or can refine a search by county,targeted weed, or control method.More search categories will beavailable in the future. Also in thefuture, CalWeed will contain anonline encyclopedia of noxiousweeds.

CDFA has contracted with Dr.Joe DiTomaso and his staff at theUniversity of California, Davis toprovide viewers with specific infor-mation about both weed biology andcontrol methods.

CalWeed currently containsreports on over 350 projects and iscontinually updated with new arriv-als. If you have a project that youwould like to report, simply fill outour three-page dataform and send itin. Forms may be accessed from theCalWeed home page, or by contact-ing Steve Schoenig at 1220 NStreet, Room A-357, Sacramento,CA 95814, 916.654.0768,sschoenig@cdfa.ca.gov.

CalEPPC News

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by Peter Baye, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Mare Island Suboffice

More on Salsola soda

Thanks to Judi Tamasi for herattention to Salsola soda, an

estuarine marsh invader which needsmore attention than it has beengetting. I have a few comments andobservations to update the informa-tion available.

Salsola soda is well establishedin northern San Pablo Bay, where ithas some of the most extensivepopulations anywhere in the estuary.The Mare Island dredge disposalponds, saline basins of dredged mudswhich are annually drained anddisced, support several hundredacres of weedy halophyte habitat inwhich S. soda is common to domi-nant. It also is co-dominant on manytens of acres of adjacent salt marshwhere alluvial fans had previouslyformed from spilled or dischargeddredge slurry. S. soda also is abun-dant on the levees surrounding thedredge ponds, particularly in tire rutsand disturbed soil. It also has invadeddrift-lines (tidal litter deposits) in highsalt marsh in adjacent tidal wetlands,and is locally abundant in brackishmarshes with artificially reduced tidalaction. S. soda also appears inconspicuous local abundance onside-cast excavated bay muds whereditches are excavated in the tidal saltmarsh along Highway 37 to improvetidal circulation, particularly east ofSonoma Creek. It has made initialinvasions in recently restored tidalmarshes, such as the Sonoma LandTrust Petaluma Marsh RestorationProject (�Carl�s Marsh� immediatelynorth of the Petaluma River bridge atits mouth).

The abundance of S. soda nearthe mouth of the Napa River andCarquinez straits is of particularconcern, because this places it wellwithin dispersal range of the endan-

gered soft bird�s-beak (Cordylanthusmollis ssp. mollis). Both species aremost abundant in the high marshzone where soils are relatively betterdrained and less frequently inun-dated. In the tidal brackish marshesof the north bay, this zone is alsothe preferred habitat for perennialpepperweed (Lepidium latifolium)... a double threat to bird�s-beakhabitat.

Salsola soda is also becomingwidespread in undisturbed saltmarsh vegetation in parts of thesouth Bay. In Dumbarton Marsh andNewark Slough (one of the largestsalt marsh areas in the south bay)Salsola soda is now invading notonly the typical high tide drift-linesand disturbed levees, but alsocommon to locally abundant on tidalcreek bank edges (often withAtriplex triangularis and Grindeliastricta) and on extensive areas ofouter Dumbarton Marsh in undis-turbed, dense mixed stands ofDistichlis spicata and Salicorniaviarginica.

S. soda is abundant also on theoyster shell berms that form oneroding marsh edges aroundRavenswood, Bair Island, BirdIsland, and Greco Island. Theseunstable narrow beach ridges werethe probably former habitat of theendangered California sea-blite(Suaeda californica), now extir-pated in San Francisco Bay, butplanned for reintroduction. Heavyinvasion by S. soda in this rare sub-habitat could interfere with re-establishment of Suaeda. Similarly,if Salsola becomes abundant onnatural creek bank levees, it couldinterfere with reintroduction andreestablishment of two other historicsalt marsh species which are extir-

pated in the south bay, an owl�sclover (salt tolerant populations ofCastilleja ambigua ssp. ambigua)and Point Reyes bird�s beak(Cordylanthus maritimus ssp.palustris). These species have anaffinity for areas of sparse, low, ordisturbed salt marsh vegetation whichSalsola really colonizes and mo-nopolizes.

Regarding the �unfilled niche�concept, S. soda seems to behavethis way on novel, artificial habitatswhich are periodically disturbed, suchas levees and dredge disposal ponds.Atriplex triangularis, a nativeannual Chenopod, seems to at leastpartially overlap with S. soda�s actualecological niche in San Franciscobaylands. However, I have little doubtthe seed rain of S. soda generated bythese artificial habitats poses anunacceptably high potential invasionrate in important habitats such as saltpans at marsh edges, and in highmarsh vegetation supporting rare orendangered species. j

CalEPPC News

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Invasive New Zealand Weeds: OurNative Plant Invadersby Graham Harris, Natural Resources Centre, Open Polytechnic,New Zealand

Most New Zealanders are wellaware of the damage that

introduced invasive plants such asgorse, broom, old man�s beard,blackberry and many others havedone to New Zealand�s landscape -leaving a legacy that costs thecountry millions of dollars annually.Few New Zealanders are likely to beaware that some of our native plantshave created similar problemsoverseas. Graham Harris, a lecturerin the Natural Resources Centre atthe Open Polytechnic, looks at someof our plants that have invaded thelandscapes of other countries.

While numerous species andcultivated varieties of our nativeplants have been exported overseaswhere their beauty and many uniquefeatures are appreciated, a few,finding an environment where theirnatural competitors are missing andthe climate and the habitat are totheir liking, have become invasive.They have dominated local plantsand damaged ecosystems by growingfaster and reproducing more quicklythan in their natural environment.Some of these plants have beenlabeled with classifications such asalien invasive weeds, noxious weeds,and exotic pest plants of concern.

To put this into perspectivehowever, while about 2000 exoticplants have become established inthe wild in New Zealand and morethan 200 of these are classified asweeds which are placing many ofour native species under threat, onlya few of our native plants havebecome invasive overseas and inonly a handful of countries. Califor-nia, in the United States, is one of

the places where some of our plantshave created problems. However asone Californian authority noted, �Ingeneral , New Zealand plants behavethemselves in California - not likethose from South Africa andEurasia,� and a scientist from theUniversity of California commented,�The majority of invasive weeds inCalifornia are from Eurasia andNorth Africa (about 65%) while

now present on four islands withmajor infestations on the islands ofKoke�e and Kaua�i. Seeds are beingfurther spread by birds and there areserious concerns that infestationswill spread to other islands. Ofparticular concern is the threat thatthe karaka poses to the heau(Exocarpus luteolus), a member ofthe sandalwood family and one ofHawaii�s most endangered plants. Aprogramme to monitor and controlthe karaka has been initiated byHawaiian authorities.

Harakeke or New Zealand flax(Phormium tenax) was an importantsource of fibre for Maori which laterformed the basis of a large fibreindustry providing local and exportmarkets with rope, fabric and otherfibre products. At the turn of thecentury, New Zealand flax wasplanted in several countries toestablish similar fibre industries. Inthe south Atlantic island of St.Helena, well known as the placewhere Napoleon died in exile in1821, flax was widely planted. Theeconomy of the island was totallydependant on flax fibre when theindustry collapsed in the 1960s.New Zealand flax has had a seriousimpact on the island�s ecosystemwhich includes a unique flora of 49plants found nowhere else in theworld. A paper published by theUniversity of Hawaii noted, �Al-though the prehistoric flora of St.Helena is poorly known, one-third ofthe known endemic flora is extinctand no vestiges of former ecosys-tems remain. New Zealand flax is themost serious pest.� A programme toeradicate flax from the island has

�California, in theUnited States, isone of the placeswhere some of ourplants have createdproblems.�relatively few (about 5%) are fromAustralia and New Zealand.� Otherplaces where New Zealand plantshave become invasive include theislands of Hawaii, the south Atlanticislands of St. Helena and Tristan daCunha, and the southwestern tip ofSouth Africa.

Some New Zealand plants thathave created problems overseasinclude karaka (Corynocarpuslaevigatus) which is a serious weedpest in Hawaii where it is describedas an aggressive colonizer that formsa dense shade which excludes otherspecies, including some endangerednative plants. Karaka was planted inthe Hawaiian islands over 100 yearsago. In 1929 it was further spreadfor reforestation purposes by broad-casting seeds from aircraft over theinterior of the island of Kaua�i. It is

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New Zealand (Cont�d)

been implemented. New Zealand flaxis also an invasive weed on the southAtlantic islands of Tristan da Cunhawhere the British authorities have setup a programme to monitor itsspread. In Hawaii, New Zealand flaxwas cultivated prior to 1871 and isnow classed as an alien invasive pestplant. On two of the islands it hasformed dense thickets which excludeother plants.

Ngaio (Myoporum laetum) isregarded as a serious invasive weedin southern California�s coastal areasand it has also spread south into theBaja California peninsular in Mexico.In California it is described as a mostinvasive wildland pest plant and it islisted on the California noxiousweeds list. It forms dense singlespecies thickets that expand eachyear and outcompete other plants.Birds spread the seeds, greatlyenlarging the affected areas.Programmes to control the plant inCalifornia are underway.

Pohutukawa (Metrosiderosexcelsa) has been planted as anornamental in the Western Capeprovince of South Africa for manyyears and large mature trees can beseen in the gardens of Cape Townand other towns of the province. Inrecent years the pohutukawa, alongwith many other introduced invasiveplants, has begun to invade sectionsof the nearby fynbos - a delicateecosystem of 71,000 square kilome-ters, renowned for its huge range ofnative plant species. The fine seed ofthe pohutukawa which is producedin vast quantities, is spread by wind.Some areas in the fynbos provideideal conditions for germination andgrowth of the plant. The densemasses of seedlings that are develop-ing and becoming established indi-cate the likelihood that impenetrablestands of trees which suppress native

flora will develop. While no officialprogramme to control thepohutukawa has been initiated asyet, concerned locals have alreadybegun to remove the plants.

Manuka (Leptospermumscoparium) and kanuka (Kunzeaericioides) were first planted inHawaii about 70 years ago and theyhave now infested several islandswhere they form thickets whichcrowd out and suppress otherplants. While they are classed as analien invasive pest plant they haveprovided some benefits by stabilizingridge tops that have eroded follow-ing overgrazing by goats.

Ti kouka or New Zealandcabbage tree (Cordyline australis)has infested Salt Point State Park innorthern California where itsgrowth is encouraged by the coolfoggy coastal conditions. It is listedby the California Exotic Pest PlantCouncil as a wildland weed whichneeds more information. Thecouncil is keeping the plants underclose observation because of thepotential for the seeds to be distrib-uted more widely by birds.

Kokihi or New Zealand spinach(Tetragonia tetragonioides) is alisted noxious weed in several statesin the U.S. As the plant is alsoendemic to Asia, Australia and partsof the South Pacific, New Zealand isnot necessarily the source of theinitial introduction.

Piripiri or bidibidi (Acaenatetragonioides) is an invasive weedin California and several other statesin the US and is listed as a U.S.noxious weed. Taupata (Coprosmarepens) is listed as an exotic weed inCalifornia although at present it isnot thought to be a threat to wild-land habitats. Taupata is also consid-ered to be a problem in somecoastal areas in Australia although itis not officially classified there as

�In recent yearsthe pohutukawahas begun toinvade sectionsof the nearbyfynbos...�being an invasive weed.

Houhere or lacebark (Hoheriapopulnea) which is considered to bea potentially invasive weed in Califor-nia, became troublesome in theStrybing Arboretum in San Fran-cisco. Most of the mature trees wereremoved and the seedlings are beingkept under control. Californianauthorities noted that fortunately theplant is not available in the land-scape trade and has not been widelyplanted.

Poroporo (Solanum laciniatum)and karo (Pittosporum crassifolium)are considered to be weeds in cult-ivation in California. They are beingkept under observation to ensurethey don�t escape into the wild.

All of the above plants, with theexception of Acaena andTetragonia, were introduced inten-tionally, either as ornamentals or forcommercial purposes, to the placeswhere they have become invasive.Those that have escaped into thewild have reproduced rapidly, spreadtheir seeds widely and formedthickets which have excluded nearlyall other plants. In the process theyhave damaged natural areas, alteredecosystems and displaced localnative species. However, our nativeplants have only played a small partin the global problem of invasivespecies - an issue that has beenidentified by the World ConservationUnion as a key global environmentalissue for the 21st century. j

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Symposium on Invasive Weedsby Jodie Holt, UC Riverside

A special symposium on invasive weeds, Ecology and Control of Invasive Exotic Weeds: A National and Regional Perspective, will be held during the annual meeting of the Weed Science Society of America in San

Diego, California, Feb. 7-10, 1999 at the Town and Country Hotel in Hotel Circle. The Invasive Weeds Symposiumwill take place Feb. 8 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the San Diego Ballroom followed by a reception in the sameroom. CalEPPC is co-sponsoring the symposium and has made special arrangements for CalEPPC members to beadmitted to the Invasive Weeds Symposium only for $10 (preregistration for the entire annual meeting is $125). Usethe coupon below to be admitted to the half day weed symposium or visit the WSSA Homepage at http://ext.agn.uiuc.edu/wssa/ to preregister for the entire meeting. The program will be available on the Homepage inNovember.

Abbreviated symposium program: Keynote Speaker, Senior Official from the Dept. of the Interior: NationalStrategies for Invasive Exotic Weeds; Barry A. Meyers-Rice, The Nature Conservancy: Impacts of Invasive Weedson Natural Areas and What We Need to Know to Address Them; Sarah H. Reichard, Univ. of Washington: Traitsof Invasive Species and Their Predictive Ability; Michael G. Barbour, Univ. of Calif., Davis: California LandscapesBefore the Invaders; Joseph M. DiTomaso, Univ. of Calif., Davis: Invasive Weeds in Rangelands, Species, Impacts,and Management; Nelroy E. Jackson, Monsanto Co.: Invasive Weeds in Riparian, Estuarine and Wetland Habitats,Species and Impacts; Greg Jubinsky, FL Dept. of Environmental Protection and FL Exotic Pest Plant Council, Talla-hassee: Invasive Weeds in Florida and the Southern United States, Species, Impacts, and Management Strategies.

Invasive Weeds TourJoin the Symposium organizers and Mike Kelly, President of the Friends of Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, for

a tour of the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon at the Torrey Pines State Reserve. The Reserve offers some of the most spec-tacular views of any park in California, including sandstone cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Weeds present in theReserve include giant reed (Arundo donax), iceplant (Carpobrotus edulis), veldtgrass (Ehrharta calycina), curly dock(Rumex spp.), pampasgrass (Cortaderia jubata), saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), andcatalpa (Catalpa spp.). The Reserve also faces invasion by native fresh-water species such as willow (Salix spp.) andcattail (Typha spp.) into salt-water marshes. The tour will depart the Town and Country Hotel by bus Tuesday, Febru-ary 9 at 8:30 a.m. and return by noon. To pre-register for the tour, send $15 by January 8, 1999 to cover the cost oftransportation to: Jodie S. Holt, Botany and Plant Sciences Dept., Univ. of Calif., Riverside, CA 92521, phone:909.787.3801, fax: 909.787.4437, email: jodie.holt@ucr.edu.

INVASIVE WEEDS SYMPOSIUM CALEPPC MEMBER DISCOUNT COUPONSponsored by the WEED SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA and CalEPPC

February 8, 1999, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. followed by a reception at the San Diego Ballroom of the Town and CountryHotel, Hotel Circle, San Diego, California.

Present this coupon at the registration desk and be admitted to the Symposium for $10

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CalEPPC News

� Page 11

CalEPPC would like to welcome the following individual and institutional memberswho have joined CalEPPC in the months from August through November 1998:

CalEPPC New Members

Patrick AkersIleene AndersonJon AveryKristin BerryJan BeyersMark BilokiJack BramkampDavid BramletAngelika Brinkmann-BusiLaura BubeErick BurresDewayne ButlerBobbie CalliAnthony CarioRay CarruthersSusan CarterTony ChappelleJoe DecruyenaereBruce DelgadoMark DepoyCurt DeuserEdward DibellaDeborah DorsettJennifer ErskineJohn GaskinDaniel GibbsSuzanne GoodeMiriam Graham

Julie GreeneDarcy GuttillaAhmad HashemiVirginia HavelEvelyn HealyScott HennessyBonnie HoffmanKathleen HoltDoris HooverMelissa HoweSandy IveyMike JaquithSarah KimballJamie KingJanet KleinEddy KonnoJoe LaraSandy LeathermanZach LikinsLaurie LitmanRobert MacAllerBeth MerrillDez MikkelsenJud MonroeBarbar MoritschRocky MossEmily NewbySusan O�Neil

Ben OshumReneé PasquinelliKatherine PateyBruce PavlikRobert PierceMartin RasnickMary ReentsDina RobertsonRay SanchezAllison SangerTamara SasakiGerry ScheidRobert SchlipfRichard SheffersonJohn ShippenFrances ShropshireRon SlimmHolly SmitDale SteeleScott StenquistKristiaan StuartGerald TaylorHarold ThomasIan TorrenceReijo & Ulla UlmonenRobin WallGinger WhiteRichard Zembal

PATRON

California Native Plant Society

CONTRIBUTING

Wilbur-Ellis Company

REGULAR

Agri Chemical & Supply, Inc.Brewer InternationalCA State Parks OHMVR Div./Sac.Circuit Rider Productions, Inc.City of Palm Desert

City of San Diego Parks & Rec.Elizabeth CrispinTom Dodson & AssociatesGolden Gate Nat�l Parks Assoc.Huntington LibraryLilburn CorporationArthur MorleyNatures Image, Inc.Pestmaster Services/BishopQuail Botanical GardensRedwood National ParkRiverside Co. Regional Parks &

Open Space District

Sapphos EnvironmentalSmith & Reynolds Erosion

Control, Inc.Target Specialty ProductsTree of Life NurseryUniversity of California Genetic

Resources ConservationProgram

US Fish & Wildlife Service/Honolulu

Zuckerman Building Company

CalEPPC SYMPOSIUM �98 INSTITUTIONAL SPONSORS

1999 CalEPPC Membership Form

Status Individual Institutional

q Retired/Student* $20.00 N/A

q Regular $30.00 $100.00

q Contributing $50.00 $250.00

q Sustaining/Patron $250.00 $1000.00

q Lifetime $1000.00 N/A

Please make your check payable to CalEPPC andmail with this application form to:

CalEPPC Membershipc/o Sally Davis32912 Calle del TesoroSan Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-4227

If you would like to join CalEPPC, please remit your calendar dues using the form provided below. All members willreceive the CalEPPC newsletter, be eligible to join CalEPPC working groups, be invited to the annual symposium andparticipate in selecting future board members. Your personal involvement and financial support are the key to success.Additional contributions by present members are welcomed!

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email

* Students, please include current registration and/or class schedule

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32912 Calle del TesoroSan Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-4427

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

Calendar of EventsJanuary 11 - 13 51st Annual California Weed Science Society Meetings, Anaheim. Contact: Wanda

Graves, 510.790.1252

January 11 - 15 Natural Resources Communication Workshop, Chico, sponsored by the Western Sectionof the Wildlife Society. Contact: Dr. Jon K. Hooper, 530.898.5811 or 6408,jhooper@facultypo.csuchico.edu

January 20 - 23 The Wildlife Society Western Section Annual Conference, Monterey, sponsored by theWildlife Society Western Section. Contact; William Hull, 510.465.4962, whull@cgbd.org

February 8 - 10 Weed Science Society of America Annual Meeting, San Diego. Contact: J. Breithaupt,913.843.1235, jbeith@allenpress.com

CALIFORNIAEXOTICPEST PLANTCOUNCIL