Conservation program looks to eradicate invasive plants

BESSEMER - The Gogebic Conservation District has a program to locate and control or eradicate Japanese knotweed and multiflora rose, among other invasive plant species, in Ontonagon County and Gogebic counties.

The work is being conducted under a Joint Chiefs grant, so named because the funding is made available by the leaders of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Forest Service.

Work so far has included development of a brochure titled "A Field Guide to Common Terrestrial Invasive Plants in Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties." This brochure was sent to each township in the counties, with a letter describing the proposed work and inviting people to report locations for Japanese or giant knotweed.

"These very troublesome invasive plants, which resemble bamboo, can make infestations that cover acres spreading by underground roots. Shoots growing from these roots can break through concrete or the walls of a house. The plant is extremely hard to kill, according to Jim Finley, district administrator.

"Several locations were reported to us following this mailing," said Finley. "We've followed up on them and got landowner permission to treat some of them. We got one large infestation in Ontonagon, which was spreading to several adjacent properties. We plan to work on others in Bergland and Ewen later in August."

In addition to the reports of knotweed, the district received a call stating that the landowner had multiflora rose on her property. This Asiatic plant is a serious problem in areas well south of the Upper Peninsula, but had not previously been identified in these two counties (there is a report from Baraga county).

"Presumably, someone brought this plant to the site. It has pretty white flowers that smell good (native wild roses have pink flowers). But, it is highly invasive, spreads rapidly, and forms great mounds and thickets that are impenetrable. The thorns on the plant would cut you to ribbons if you tried to force your way through a clump" said Finley. "We found the plant scattered over several acres and treated it with herbicide. Hopefully, we've stopped it from becoming a problem in the county."

In the future, it is expected that the Ontonagon Conservation District will pick up this kind of work in that county, he said.

The Ontonagon district was "moribund for several years," said Finley, but this year the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, which oversees conservation districts in Michigan, worked with residents of the county to revive the district, where a board of directors has been empaneled and they will be seeking grants to carry out various conservation projects.

To report knotweed or request a brochure, contact the Gogebic Conservation District at 906-663-4512 or [email protected].

-Daily Globe staff