Forest Service targets invasive plants at Lake Tahoe with herbicide treatments
Submitted by editor on Tue, 05/05/2015 - 11:47am
The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will continue a project to eradicate, control, and contain known infestations of invasive plants in the Lake Tahoe Basin using chemical treatment. Work will occur at approximately 70 infestation sites beginning May 15 and continuing through September 2015.
Current project areas include the 64 Acres parking lot, Angora Fire area, Baldwin Beach Meadow, Burke Creek Trail, Camp Richardson Corral, Luther Pass Campground, Heavenly Creek Meadow, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Rabe Meadow, the Lower Truckee River below Tahoe City, and the Spooner Summit fire station. Crews will treat infestations on Forest Service urban lots on Ralph Drive, Terry Lane, Ski Run Boulevard and Mt. Rainier Drive in South Lake Tahoe and on Sugar Pine Drive in Incline Village, Marge Court in Zephyr Cove, and Pine Street on Kingsbury Grade.
Herbicides used in treatments include Rodeo, Milestone, and Telar. Crews will apply the product with backpack sprayers and other hand held tools. Herbicide application follows approved Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state, and local direction.
Caution signs will be posted in treatment areas and remain for at least 48 hours after application. Orange and black caution tape will mark the boundary around each treatment area. A marker dye will be used to easily identify locations that have been sprayed. Treatment areas are small and consist of a few plants, with the largest site being less than two acres. Access to treatment sites will be restricted during and after the application. Forest Service staff will be onsite to monitor the areas in order to ensure public safety while the project is implemented.
An Environmental Assessment released by the Forest Service in 2010 identified 493 known invasive plant infestations located on National Forest System lands managed by the LTBMU. Invasive plants reproduce and spread rapidly, displacing native plants. They can also reduce the amount and quality of fish and wildlife habitat, increase soil erosion and stream sedimentation, and impair recreational access.
Target invasive plants include tall whitetop (Lepidium latifolium), Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica), yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris), hoary cress (Cardaria pubescens & C. draba) and Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense).
Photos and information about these species can be found at the Lake Tahoe Basin Weed Coordinating Group’s website at www.tahoeinvasiveweeds.org. For more information, contact Stephanie McKnight at (530) 543-2879 or visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/InvasivePlantTreatment.
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