Looking for answers? Here are some
typically asked land management questions.
Why
Land Management Services? To
better understand the need for a Land Management plan, it must first be
noted that it is just as important to understand what results you DO
want, as it is to understand what you DON’T want.
In any native landscape, the objective should be to develop an
area dominated with locally native, diverse plant species.
To attain this, management practices should directly encourage
the development of desired species while restricting the growth of the
unwanted weeds that inevitably invade restored and remnant natural
areas.
What
is a weed? Technically, a weed is
simply a plant growing where it is not wanted.
In terms of native landscapes, it is a non-native, invasive plant
naturalized into native ecosystems.
Within our native landscapes, these “exotic” species can
become a very troublesome and domineering adversary.
Controlling these species has become the main objective of our
Land Management team. Exotic
species can invade and devastate any unmanaged ecosystem, from dry open
prairies to dense hardwood forests.
They are capable of out-competing our native species, thus
dramatically reducing ecosystem diversity and stability.
What are exotic species? This list can be very extensive and technical. As there are hundreds of non-native plant species currently existing in Minnesota, it must be understood that they are not all problematic. Only those that are readily able to spread and naturalize outside of cultivation are truly invasive. These plants are able to survive our local climate unaided and are able to move into our natural areas without yield. And, as many have come from other countries or continents, their natural predators (the animals, insects, fungi, plants, or diseases that hinder hard line growth patterns) are not present. This allows for aggressive, unhindered growth.
What are some exotic species found in Minnesota? There is no shortage of exotic species throughout Minnesota. Some of the most conspicuous exotics are found in backyards statewide. The common Dandelion and the Large or Small Crabgrasses are just a couple of example of weeds introduced from Europe and Asia. Though not devastating to natural areas, they require abundant treatment in lawn and agricultural settings. Each type of native system encounters its fair number of exotics too. Prairies are often invaded by exotics like Crown Vetch, Canada Thistle, Hoary Alyssum, Smooth Brome, Sweet Clover, Bird’s Foot Tre-foil, Spotted Knapweed, or Leafy Spurge. Common wetland exotics are Reed Canary Grass, Purple Loosestrife, Hybrid Cattails and Glossy Buckthorn. Savannas and woodlands can be overrun with Common Buckthorn, Glossy Buckthorn, Amur Maple, Norway Maple, Black Locus, or Siberian Elm. These lists are not to imply that each of these species couldn’t be found, at some level, in most any ecosystem or that these are the only troublesome exotic species.