invasive species management

March 1, 2024
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on March 1, 2024
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Invasive Species Awareness Week- Reed Canarygrass

By: Cody Wright March 3, 2022 One NNIS that doesn’t get quite enough attention is Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea). Beginning in the 1800s, this grass has been widely used as livestock forage, for erosion control, and in landscaping. Reed Canary Grass (RCG) prefers moist, poorly-drained soils but can be found thriving in various types of habitats. From standing water to dry upland areas, this plant is highly adaptable. This adaptability, along with the production of easily dispersed seed and dense biomass via rhizomes, is what gives this plant it’s invasive nature. While it has been determined that there is a native genotype of Phalaris arundinacea, it is not possible to distinguish this difference without genetic analysis. In a field-setting, then, this simply cannot be […]
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February 29, 2024
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on February 29, 2024
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Invasive Species Awareness Week- Cattail 

By: Cody Wright March 2, 2022 In Ohio, our native Cattail, Typha latifolia, is being pushed out of its niche by its invasive cousin, T. angustifolia. These two species can interbreed and produce viable hybrid offspring, T. x glauca, which also exhibit invasive tendencies. It is thought that T. angustifolia was first introduced to the U.S. along the Atlantic seaboard via the dry ballast of European ships coming into harbor. The key characteristic that can be used to identify between these species is the gap, or lack thereof, between the male and female flower. Yes, that portion of the plant that humorously resembles a corndog is actually the flower spike that the plants use for sexual reproduction. The native cattail has no gap between the […]
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February 26, 2024
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on February 26, 2024
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Invasive Species Awareness Week- Bush Honeysuckle

By: Cody Wright February 28, 2022 If you ask any conservation professional or land manager to name the greatest challenge they face, among the most common responses you will get is the never-ending effort to slow non-native and invasive species (NNIS). Ohio has become home to numerous such plant species that wreak havoc on the local habitats and ecosystems in which they take up residence. Four of the most notorious and problematic NNIS are the Bush Honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.), Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana), Narrow-leaved and Hybrid Cattail (Typha angustifolia, T. x glauca), and Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea). Let’s take a closer look at why each of these species present a concern and what is being done to help prevent their continued spread. Bush honeysuckle […]
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January 11, 2022
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on January 11, 2022
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Fall Volunteer Events & Invasive Species Removal

Fall is a great time to tackle woody invasive plants, as they are preparing for dormancy and most susceptible to systemic herbicide applications. We regularly participate in, and lead habitat improvement projects in the Central Ohio area, and this year we were pleased to make some substantial headway! In September we had a crew at Hoff Woods (Westerville) working with volunteers to remove honeysuckle and a crew in Genoa Township working a community fishing event. We had several volunteers and cleared about 2-3 acres of the invasive bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii). Thanks to all who came out out to participate! In October, Jenny, Alexys, Cody, and Mark worked alongside Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries, and many community volunteers at Boyer Nature Preserve. They removed […]
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January 7, 2022
Published by MAD Scientist Associates, LLC on January 7, 2022
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Invasive Species Management- Rocky Fork Metro Park

Between April 14 and November 4, 2021, our skilled team of technicians removed woody invasive species on a roughly 45-acre area within Rocky Fork Metro Park. Targeted species included Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana), Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), Bush Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora), Privet (Ligustrum spp.), and Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima). Initial site management was completed in the spring using a cut-stump method to fell the largest trees and shrubs in the project area. Chainsaws were utilized for larger specimens, and a brush-cutter was employed to efficiently raze small and medium sized vegetation in dense clumps. Cut stems were treated using a mix of the aquatic-approved triclopyr product, Garlon 3A, as well as an aquatic-safe, non-ionic surfactant and blue tracker dye. This herbicide mix […]
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