STRATEGIES FOR AVOIDING KING COUNTY NOXIOUS POLLINATOR / HERBICIDE - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

KING COUNTY NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL PROGRAM

STRATEGIES FOR AVOIDING POLLINATOR / HERBICIDE INTERACTION

KING COUNTY NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL BOARD POLICY ON NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL AND BEES

 “In partnership with the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board, we have adopted practices to minimize impacts to bees and other native pollinators, while continuing to fulfill our

• bligations in King County.”
• Through Best Management

Practices and Integrated Pest Management we are able to

perform our work with respect to pollinators and still reach our goals for control

PC: Roger Butterfield

 Timing is everything!

• “…the KCNWCP will make

every reasonable effort to schedule control work so that it will minimize potential interaction with bees. As such, staff members will make every reasonable effort to avoid contact with pollinators where flowering plants are located and will schedule treatments during non- flowering periods and during times when the bees will not be active.”

KING COUNTY NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL BOARD POLICY ON NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL AND BEES

1st year knotweed treatment at Snoqualmie Falls. KCNWCP crew member applies foliar spray late in the season after flowering.

PC: Justin Brooks

 Control and Replace!

• “…the KCNWCP is committed

to working closely with landowners in project areas to re-establish desirable native and non-invasive plant species to replace the controlled noxious weeds. These non-invasive and native species offer an alternative pollen and nectar source that are not harmful, state regulated noxious weeds. These replacement species

• ffer substantial benefits for

bees and pollinators and also benefit water quality, fish and wildlife—whereas invasive noxious weeds do not.”

KING COUNTY NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL BOARD POLICY ON NOXIOUS WEED CONTROL AND BEES

PC: mudsongs.org

In the 2016 Season, 2.5 river miles of new project area were added to the Upper Sno. A variety of management strategies were employed to alleviate pollinator/ herbicide interaction on flowering stands

• f knotweed.

Lef t: EarthCorps crew skips through flowering knotweed and makes their way to spray vegetative knotweed upstream.

UPPER SNOQUALMIE RIVER KNOTWEED PROJECT

Historic parts of the project area were survey/treated during peak flowering. Left: KCNWCP crew member treats vegetative knotweed on the South Fork Snoqualmie River.

UPPER SNOQUALMIE RIVER KNOTWEED PROJECT

Toward the end

• f the summer

we had treated all historic parts of the project area and needed to move into initial treatment areas that still had flowers present. Left: Hollow stem injection can be used while pollinators are active on flowers.

UPPER SNOQUALMIE RIVER KNOTWEED PROJECT

Once flowering was almost over, crews would spray knotweed in the early morning and switch to injection during the heat of the day when pollinators were most active. Left: KCNWCP crew member treats knotweed from the underside of the canopy, preventing spray from getting on flowers.

UPPER SNOQUALMIE RIVER KNOTWEED PROJECT

Once flowering was complete we were able to finish the final stretch of the new project area before the first frost! Left: KCNWCP crew member sprays knotweed after flowers have fallen off.

UPPER SNOQUALMIE RIVER KNOTWEED PROJECT

After a site has been in treatment for at least three years, it is a potential candidate for native plant restoration. Left: Restoration planting site at Olallie State Park on the South Fork Snoqualmie River. Installation by Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust in 2011.

UPPER SNOQUALMIE RIVER KNOTWEED PROJECT

STRATEGIES FOR AVOIDING POLLINATOR / HERBICIDE INTERACTION SUMMARY

Low Toxicity Herbicides

Choose an herbicide that is most effective at controlling the target noxious weed, while exhibiting the lowest risk and toxicity characteristics

Timing

Schedule foliar application when flowers are not present

• r pollinators are not actively
• foraging. Hollow stem

injection may also be used during flowering periods

Replace Noxious Weeds with Native Plants

Replace invasive weeds with desirable vegetation that meets the needs of foraging pollinators