Invasion Confronted

Invasion Confronted. Theodore Roosevelt National Park. , The National Park Service and its neighbors wage a costly campaign to contain the spread of noxious weeds by fighting back on several fronts. Mowing, prescribed fires, spraying chemicals, and new insect allies – all contribute to restore the balance of nature closer to what Theodore Roosevelt would have known a century ago., “As a nation we have tended to live with an eye single to the present, and have permitted the reckless waste and destruction of much of our natural wealth.” Theodore Roosevelt. , What You Can Do to Help: , . Learn to identify invasive plants. , . Don’t take noxious weeds home for flower arrangements. , . Avoid camping and driving in weed-infested areas. , . Tell landowners and managers when you find an invader. , . Use feed that has been verified “weed-free.” , . Brush off any pack animals, clean hooves before transporting., A tiny but potent partner in the weed wars, flea beetles strike at one of the greatest strengths of the leafy spurge – its extensive root system. These insects are all the more valuable in reestablishing the badlands’ sensitive habitats because they attack only the target plant. Biocontrol beetles remain part of the solution, not adding another part to the problem., The integrated control of leafy spurge is labor-intensive and expensive. Time-consuming ground application is necessary for sensitive areas – around wells, campgrounds or home sites., Helicopters spray herbicides over large infestations in the remote back country.