Vegetation Management and Maintenance Plan - Watsonville ...

• The ability to identify the key native plants species likely to be encountered within the
VMMM project area. This could be achieved by disseminating a booklet of major native
plants (as presented in Appendix B) and field training sessions.
• The ability to identify areas of potential special status species/habitat, both flora and
fauna. A brief training session, conducted by qualified personnel, could be provided to
workers to achieve a limited recognition of such habitat/species. Species of concern
within the VMMM project area include Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, California redlegged
frog, and Santa Cruz tarplant.
• Although field personnel often have a high degree of skill with various types of
equipment, details of proper techniques should be provided to achieve maximum
efficiency and success.
• A discussion and presentation of the potential positive and adverse effects of various
management techniques, focusing on the goals of field activities and the VMMM.
• Instructions if field personnel encounter plants, animals or situations outside of their
scope of training, including the proper course of action when these situations occur.
General guidance should be provided to workers to limit harm to sensitive or protected
habitats, including guidelines to employ that would limit the disruption of work.
• Provide workers with project goals and objectives to facilitate their “buy in” with the
management program. Some of the field techniques may require subtle changes in their
work effort (i.e., low weed-whipping/mowing, bagging flowering heads), therefore a
change of their perspective on a task may be critical for project success. Project success
may increase if workers are encouraged to be knowledgeable about their work
environment, have a change in outlook related to scale (slower and correct weed
eradication effort often proves more efficient and effective), and to ask questions if field
techniques or eradication/control goals are not clear.
• Use adaptive management strategies. Field personnel may have useful and efficient ideas
and methods for doing a given task. Field supervisors should be encouraged to consider
new ideas and potential improvements. “I may not use an idea, but I will listen and
considered it”, is a concept that not only increases effectiveness but also increases “buy
in” by field personnel.
3.1.2 Grubbing
Within the VMMM project area, grubbing, both with tools and by hand, is a suitable treatment
for infestations of cape ivy, English ivy, thistles (Italian thistle, slender-flowered thistle, bull
thistle), bristly ox-tongue, wild radish and most other invasive weeds found in isolated small
patches. Grubbing is often used during the Bradley Method. The Bradley Method is a technique
where invasive plants are completely removed around the perimeter of desirable, existing native
plants to create noncompetitive growth patches for the native plants.
Additionally, hand grubbing may be used to create controllable perimeters around large patches
of poison hemlock and Himalaya berry. In some cases, all biomass created by grubbing should be
bagged and removed for proper disposal. Plants that should be carefully bagged and removed for
disposal include species that re-sprout from spreading rhizomes or stems, such as Cape ivy,
English ivy, Kikuyu grass, and Harding grass. Table 4 provides specific details for grubbing
individual plant species.
Grubbing should be followed by revegetation with appropriate native plants. Appropriate erosion
control practices and techniques should also be implemented prior to grubbing, and applied as
needed during or immediately after the work is completed.
Vegetation Management and Maintenance Manual
Draft 15 July 27, 2007