1. OHIO’S NATURAL HABITATS
INVASIVE PLANTS IN
OHIO’S NATURAL HABITATS
This is an introductory slide: introduce yourself as the speaker, your interest and background in invasive plants. Add your name, logo, and contact info in the space provided. This presentation was developed by the Education Work Group of the Ohio Invasive Plants Council, specifically by two members (Division of Wildlife, Hamilton County Park District). Feel free to use this presentation as you like, but please credit its origin.

2. Salt cedar Eurasian water-milfoil Kudzu Salvinia Leafy spurge
This slide is used to explain the national problem of invasive plants. Salt cedar, leafy spurge, and salvinia do not occur in Ohio yet, but are major problems in other parts of the US. Mention that CA, FL, and Hawaii have major invasive plant problems, worse than Ohio.
Leafy spurge
Purple loosestrife

3. INVASIVE PLANTS ?? ► what are invasive plants, where
did they come from & why
► what do invasive plants impact
► what plant species are invasive in Ohio
► what controls can be used
► what alternative species can be used
► what new invasive plants are coming
into Ohio
► what makes this worth the effort
This is meant to be an outline of the presentation. What are invasive plants and what questions are addressed in this presentation?

4. INVASIVE PLANTS: What, where from, & why
Non-native, non-invasive
Non-native,
invasive
Dandelions may be
invasive in lawns,
but not in natural
habitats.
Explain the difference between native and non-native plants, invasive and non-invasive plants.
Native = known to occur in Ohio prior to substantial European settlement, around 1750, according to the botanical literature.
Non-native = not known to occur in Ohio prior to 1750 according to the botanical literature
Invasive = species which threaten natural habitats or natural areas in Ohio
Non-invasive = may be non-native, may be invasive in lawns and other disturbed, un-natural habitats, but are not invasive in natural habitats in Ohio (e.g., woodlands, grasslands and prairies, savannas, wetlands)

5. Native plant diversity
● 3,000 plant species in Ohio
● 25% are non-native (750)
● < 100 species are invasive
in natural habitats (3%)
Why do they become invasive?
→ they reproduce quickly
→ they have no natural controls
Explain how we are focusing on a small percentage of non-native plants in Ohio – less than 100 species or 3% of the total number of plants known in Ohio. Explain how invasive species differ from other non-native species – they reproduce quickly and efficiently and have no natural controls.
Native plant diversity
in Ohio’s wetlands
and prairies

6. These plants were introduced to Ohio purposefully,
as well as by accident, from Europe and Asia:
● For agriculture, landscaping, gardening,
soil stabilization, forage, medicine, herbal
& culinary uses, and wildlife habitat
● Came in via solid ballast of ships
● As contaminants in imported materials
Garlic mustard
Hungarian brome
Explain how most invasive plants were introduced with good intentions – purple loosestrife and bush honeysuckles for horticulture, Hungarian brome for erosion control and as a forage crop, garlic mustard for herbal and medicinal purposes.
Tatarian honeysuckle
Purple loosestrife

7. Many Invasive Plants Were Introduced For Landscaping Purposes
A few examples -
 Glossy buckthorn
 Bush honeysuckles (3)
 Japanese honeysuckle
 Purple loosestrife
 Japanese barberry
 Periwinkle or myrtle
 Common privet
 Winged euonymus (burning-bush)
 Winter-creeper
 Chinese silvergrass (Miscanthus)
Explain that a large number of species have been introduced for landscaping purposes, although we had no idea how invasive in natural habitats they might become. Just a few examples are listed. Similar lists of species could be made for those that were introduced for agricultural, culinary, and medicinal purposes, so this is just one sample, not necessarily the worst.

8. INVASIVE PLANTS: What do they impact
● they displace native plants & animals in all habitats
● they displace rare species
● they reduce species diversity
● they form dense monocultures
● they alter the food web
● they affect human recreation
● they impact economics, resources, & time
EXAMPLE:
“American toads suffer as much
as a 50% increase in mortality when
tadpoles develop in purple
loosestrife versus cattail wetlands.”
(Blossey, Cornell University)

9. Invasive plants impact
Woodlands
Lakes, ponds, streams
Grasslands
Invasive plants impact
all habitats in Ohio
Wetlands

10. Invasive plants are the biggest threat to rare plants in the U.S.
(TNC report)
Small white
lady’s-slipper
Invasive plants can impact rare plants severely due to the fragmented and limited sites they occur in. Small white lady’s-slippers are state endangered in Ohio and threatened by invasive species in prairie habitats. Eastern prairie fringed orchid is state and Federal threatened; the habitat is threatened by several wetland invasive plants. There are good examples of invasive plants impacting rare animals now as well – the Karner blue butterfly and lark sparrow are Ohio examples in the Oak Openings of northwest Ohio.
Eastern & Western prairie
fringed orchids
Rare animal examples:
Least bell’s vireo, Sage grouse,
Bald eagle, Karner blue butterfly,
Lark sparrow

11. Wild lupine, Persius dusky wing,
Examples of the rare species of the Oak Openings and how their habitat, oak savanna, may be impacted by invasive plants.
Wild lupine, Persius dusky wing,
Karner blue butterfly, Golden-winged warbler,
Lark sparrow, Blue-spotted salamander, Frosted elfin

12. Invasive plants reduce wildlife diversity

13. Invasive plants cost natural resource and recreation agencies, farmers, industry, and homeowners millions of dollars every year.
Loss of recreation opportunities
or quality of recreation such as:
hunting
fishing
boating
hiking
wildlife observation.

14. INVASIVE PLANTS: The species in Ohio
TREES
This section begins examples of the most invasive plants in Ohio by plant category. Feel free to discuss what you know about these species and their impacts on natural habitats. Tree-of-heaven impacts woodlands, primarily in SE Ohio at present.
Tree-of-heaven

15. Bush-honeysuckles: Amur,
SHRUBS
Glossy buckthorn
Autumn & Russian olive
These shrubs are all very abundant invasive species in Ohio: autumn-olive & multiflora rose impacting grasslands and prairies, bush honeysuckles impacting woodlands, and glossy buckthorn impacting wetlands.
Bush-honeysuckles: Amur,
Morrow, & Tatarian
Multiflora rose

16. VINES
Japanese honeysuckle
Oriental bittersweet
Wintercreeper

17. WILDFLOWERS/FORBS Narrow-leaved cattail (on left) Purple loosestrife
Common
teasel
Garlic mustard

18. Canada thistle
Japanese knotweed
or Mexican bamboo
White and yellow sweet-clover

19. GRASSES Phragmites or Giant reed grass Reed canary grass
These are both abundant wetland invasive plants, particularly a problem in the Lake Erie marshes.
Phragmites or
Giant reed grass
Reed canary grass

20. AQUATICS Lesser naiad Curly pondweed Eurasian water-milfoil
These are the most common aquatic invasive plants; Eurasian water-milfoil is the most problematic causing loss of diversity in native aquatic plants, as well as impacts to boating, fishing, swimming, and other water recreational activities.
Eurasian water-milfoil

21. INVASIVE PLANTS: Control Options
MANUAL (hand-pulling or cutting, mowing, discing,
plowing, soil disturbance)
HERBICIDE APPLICATION
(cut stump, foliar, basal bark, aerial)
 WATER LEVEL CONTROL
 PRESCRIBED BURNING
 BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
This section is designed to give the audience an introduction to control techniques. Emphasize that using a combination of techniques is usually the most effective. Some techniques – water level control, burning, and biocontrol – may not be options for the average landowner, but are important tools for land-managing agencies and organizations in Ohio.

22. Manual methods Hand-cutting Hand-pulling; digging Discing cattails
Bulldozing Phragmites and discing cattails were not effective controls, but we often have to experiment with control techniques. Manual techniques such as hand-cutting and pulling/digging are very time-consuming and have mixed results depending on the species and extent.
Bulldozing; soil disturbance

23. Herbicide application
High volume spraying
Basal bark application
Herbicide application, while very effective, can be expensive and is not often preferred by private landowners. Regardless, it is the most effective method for controlling invasive plants, especially large populations. There are many techniques and herbicides; one should become well-informed before using them. These are 4 techniques often used by land-managing agencies and organizations.
High volume
by ATV
Low volume by backpack

24. Spraying herbicide by helicopter at Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area
Aerial application of herbicides is not available to many, but can be very effective for large populations of invasive plants. The Division of Wildlife uses this technique for purple loosestrife and Phragmites in Lake Erie marshes (even on spadderdock, which is native and invasive, at Killbuck Marsh WA).
Spraying herbicide
by helicopter at
Killbuck Marsh
Wildlife Area

25. Bush honeysuckle control in HCPD
Costs of Herbicide
Control Methods
Bush honeysuckle control in HCPD
Hamilton County Park District compared the costs of 3 different control methods for bush honeysuckle – note that foliar application (contracted) was the least expensive, although probably the least selective. Choose your control methods carefully.

26. Water level controls at Big Island Wildlife Area
Water level control may be effective for wetland invasive plants such as Phragmites, cattails, and reed canary grass, but is not an option for all wetland managers.
Water level
controls at
Big Island
Wildlife Area

27. Prescribed burning Ohio now has a Certified Prescribed Fire Manager
Program to encourage the
responsible use of
prescribed burning
Prescribed burning is an important tool for land-managing agencies and organizations; it is being used more and more on private lands in Ohio (e.g., CRP lands). Experience and training is necessary to use this tool; burn managers must be certified by the ODNR Division of Forestry. Permits and waivers must be obtained from OEPA and the Division of Forestry.

28. What you do as a burn manager may impact all burn managers in Ohio.
Take every burn seriously, plan carefully, and be a responsible burn manager.

29. Biological control: Using the species’ natural controls
Purple loosestrife
Purple loosestrife has more than 200 insects in Europe that feed on it, controlling its populations such that they do not have problems with the species being invasive. Using the natural controls of a plant is called biological control. Research must be conducted for at least 10 years before introduction may be approved by the US Department of Agriculture. Cornell University in NY has led the research on this control technique.
Biological control:
Using the species’
natural controls

30. Collecting, rearing, and releasing Galerucella
beetles in Ohio wetlands:
1,435,000 beetles
have been released
at 30 sites during
by the Division of Wildlife
The Division of Wildlife began the purple loosestrife biological control program in Ohio in 1994 in cooperation with Cornell University and OSU. In wetlands where the beetles have been introduced for more than 5 years, they are controlling purple loosestrife well. The Division is willing to provide beetles to landowners with more than 5 acres of purple loosestrife.

31. INVASIVE SPECIES: Alternative Species
NON-NATIVE SPECIES NATIVE SPECIES
Bush honeysuckles (3) Serviceberry, Chokeberry,
Hawthorn, Witch-hazel
Purple loosestrife Spiked blazing-star, Blue vervain,
Joe-pye-weed, Obedient plant
Phragmites, Bluejoint grass, Indian grass,
Reed canary grass Prairie cord grass
Wintercreeper, Trumpet honeysuckle,
Oriental bittersweet, Virginia creeper, Virgin’s bower
Japanese honeysuckle
Japanese barberry, Viburnum sp., Dogwood,
Burning bush, Privet Inkberry, Highbush blueberry
Mention that there are many good alternative species for invasive plants – refer to the handout developed by DNAP.

32. OR Purple loosestrife… Spiked blazing-star
Remind the audience that they have a choice – there are many good native alternatives!
Spiked blazing-star

33. Just a few examples… see the handout
NEW INVASIVE PLANTS
COMING INTO OHIO:
The Watch List
Just a few examples… see the handout
Leafy spurge
Chinese silvergrass, Miscanthus sinensis
Kudzu, Pueraria lobata
Mile-a-minute vine, Polygonum perfoliatum
Japanese stilt-grass, Microstegium vimineum
Spotted knapweed, Centaurea maculosa
Leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula
Nodding thistle, Carduus nutans
Porcelain-berry, Ampleopsis brevipedunculata

34. WHY IS IT WORTH THE EFFORT?
Some nasty invasives – kudzu, purple loosestrife, lesser celandine, garlic mustard, and Phragmites – all present in Ohio. Is this the type of vegetative landscape we want for the future?
Do we want solid stands of kudzu, purple loosestrife,
garlic mustard, Phragmites, and lesser celandine to
replace our native diverse vegetation?

35. Do we want to maintain, conserve, and restore our native vegetation
for future generations?
If we want to maintain diversity for future generations, we have to address invasive plants – prioritize the high-quality natural habitats and pick the battles we can win as we cannot eliminate invasive plants.

36. Dense bush honeysuckle
A RESTORATION EXAMPLE
The next 4 slides refer to a restoration example of work conducted by the Hamilton County Park District to control Amur honeysuckle in a woodland and restore the native wildflowers.
Dense bush honeysuckle
in a woodland at a
Hamilton County Park

37. Removal of Amur honeysuckle: chain saw and stump treatment

38. The spring after honeysuckle removal

39. Benefits of the Honeysuckle Removal Project:
A few examples from the park district
► Increased plant diversity in the woods
► Increased growth of mature trees
► Promotes plant diversity which provides habitat
for more wildlife species
► Increases safety and aesthetic appeal by opening
up views
► Provides a higher quality experience for hikers,
bikers, birdwatchers, golfers, boaters,
anglers, and other park visitors

40. IMPORTANCE OF MONITORING:
Rate of invasion in natural habitats
Effectiveness of control techniques
Stress the importance of monitoring: monitoring the extent of invasive plants and monitoring the effectiveness of control techniques.

41. Education:
Public programs, publications,
signs, media, schools, OIPC.

42. THE OHIO INVASIVE PLANTS COUNCIL
Formed in February 2005
Replaced the Ohio Invasive Plant
Working Group of
Mission:
The Ohio Invasive Plants Council
participates in statewide efforts
to address the threats of invasive
species to Ohio’s ecosystems
and economy by providing leadership
and promoting stewardship, education,
research, and information exchange.

43. Purposes of The Ohio Invasive Plants Council:
Raise public awareness
Facilitate exchange of information
Provide forums to discuss issues related to invasive species
Serve as an educational, advisory, & technical support
Coordinate activities & information exchange
Develop & maintain a list of invasive plant species
Develop & maintain a list of non-invasive, alternatives
Promote actions to prevent future introductions
Carry on additional activities related to furthering the
above purposes.

44. WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP  Spread the word about invasive species
 Volunteer to help control invasives
 Plant native, non-invasive plants
 Be on the lookout for new populations
 Be careful not to transport
invasive species
 Discourage the use of
invasive plants
Get involved in the Ohio
Invasive Plants Council (2005)