Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation Plan - Western ...

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Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation PlanChapter 4. Biological ResourcesOn trails and natural areas, knotweed is unsightly, and may be considered a safety hazard. Knotweedmonocultures (an area dominated by one species) can encroach upon trails, inhibit growth of trees inriparian areas, cause increased erosion, and offer little habitat value to native species. Knotweed growsand spreads aggressively, making it very costly to control once established.The best control method for well-established knotweed monocultures is to cut the stalks close to thebase throughout the spring and summer to prevent flowering and seeding. Cutting also encouragesregrowth and expenditure of stored energy, which weakens the plant’s reserves. Do not mulch any cutvegetation, as regrowth can occur from each fragment. An herbicide application may be applied beforethe first killing frost in the fall, which will carry herbicide from the leaves to the roots, resulting in moreeffective control. A certified herbicide applicator should be contracted to ensure appropriate applicationprocedures and regulations are followed. As with any control strategy for invasive species, persistence isthe key to success.Multiflora roseMultiflora rose was first introduced to the U.S. as rootstock for ornamental plants in 1866. The U.S.Soil Conservation Service and PGC later promoted it for purposes, such as living fence around livestockpastures, and as wildlife habitat for small game and bird species. The tenacious growing behavior of theplant enables it to quickly dominate large areas and consume resources that would otherwise benefitnative shrubs and herbaceous species. The thickets formed by multiflora rose are dense, and it cancompletely overtake pastures, excluding livestock from grazing large portions of pasture. The largemonocultures decrease biodiversity, as the variety of food and nesting habitat available to native birds andwildlife is decreased. Furthermore, the fruits do not contain the proper fat ratio migrating birds need tosurvive. Larger mammals, including humans, are often excluded from areas occupied by multiflora rose,as the thorny plant weaves tight, impenetrable assemblage of stems.To control multiflora rose, bushes may be pulled, but ensure that all of the root system was removed,otherwise regrowth will occur. Herbicides may be effective in controlling this persistent species. Anaturally occurring virus spread by mites called rose rosette disease, is one example of a biologicalcontrol for multiflora rose. However, this disease also affects cultivated roses, and may be consideredundesirable by some.AnimalsInvasive animal species include forest pests, such as theemerald ash borer, gypsy moth, and hemlock woolly adelgid,and aquatic species, such as the zebra mussel. The gypsy mothis prevalent throughout Pennsylvania and the hemlock woollyadelgid has been identified in many counties, including thosewithin the Connoquenessing Creek watershed.Emerald Ash BorerThe emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive insect, wasfirst positively identified in Pennsylvania on June 21, 2007 inCranberry Township, Butler County. The EAB has alreadydefoliated millions of trees throughout the country, and nowthreatens Pennsylvania’s forests. An immediate ban on theimport of firewood to State Parks and State Forests wasrelayed throughout the state to suppress the spread of theSome biological controls, like this multicoloredAsian lady beetle that wasintroduced to the U.S. to control aphidsand other crop pests, became peststhemselves; swarms can encroach uponhomes in autumn seeking winter shelterin homesspecies. Because it is difficult for the average person to tell what species of tree the firewood was derivedfrom, the ban includes all hardwoods. In addition, PDA has quarantined Allegheny, Butler, Beaver, and4-27
Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation PlanChapter 4. Biological ResourcesLawrence counties. The quarantine restricts or prohibits the transport and sale of ash wood products andplants that may harbor the pest (DCNR, 2007a).It is not the adult emerald ash borer beetles that cause the devastating effects of girdling and killingtrees, but rather their larvae that feed under the bark. As the larvae eat paths under the bark, called“galleries,” they disconnect the cells that carry nutrients and water to the limbs and leaves of the tree.Over time, usually within three years of the infestation, the tree dies as a result of stress and inability tocirculate life-sustaining nutrients and water throughout the plant.EAB presence is most easily identified by the D-shaped exit holes bored into the wood of a tree.Adult beetles are approximately a half inch long and slender with dark green metallic coloration. If yoususpect the presence of EAB in your area, notify your regional DNCR Bureau of Forestry, PDA, PennState Cooperative Extension, or the EAB hotline: 1-866-253-7189.Gypsy MothThe gypsy moth was introduced to the U.S. from Europe in the 1980s. It feeds while in the larval, orcaterpillar, stage. Eggs are deposited in July, and overwinter on bark and stones. Gypsy moth caterpillarshatch and begin feeding from mid- to late-April in southern Pennsylvania, and in early-to mid-May in thenorthern part of the state. Oaks, sugar maple, beech, and aspen trees are preferred food sources for thiscaterpillar’s voracious appetite. Large gypsy moth populations may strip entire trees of their foliage,leaving them weakened and susceptible to disease, drought, and attack by other pests. A tree begins tosuffer when 30 percent or more of its leaf surface is lost (Purdue Research Foundation, 2004).According to the 2006 Pennsylvania Annual Pest Conditions Report compiled by DCNR, Bureau ofForestry, Division of Forest Pest Management (2006), “Gypsy moth defoliated more acres of forest thanany other pest or pathogen in 2006, and is considered to be at outbreak levels.” The state of Pennsylvaniainitiated a suppression program in 2006, which included the cooperation of five counties, four forestdistricts, one state park, the PGC, and two stewardship landowners. Gypsy moth populations are expectedto continue to increase and the suppression program will expand in the year 2007 to include at least 14counties on 45,474 acres of land, though those estimates are expected to change.Gypsy moth populations are typically highest following wet, more temperate winters, while cold, drywinters cause the death of egg masses. Private landowners with forested land containing 250 or more eggmasses per acre may be eligible for insecticide applications administered through the DCNR Bureau ofForestry. However, the biggest factor controlling populations is a natural fungus, which grows on mosthardwoods, and adversely affects the gypsy moth (Purdue Research Foundation, 2004). Gypsy mothspose a particular threat to areas predominately composed of oak species, such as the Buhls Channel BDA,because oak is one of their preferred foods.Hemlock Woolly AdelgidThis tiny, fluid-feeding insect was introduced from Japan in the early 20 th century, and was firstdiscovered in Pennsylvania in 1969. Forty-four counties in Pennsylvania have been infected, includingAllegheny County within the Connoquenessing Creek watershed. Infestation is currently heaviest insouthcentral and eastern Pennsylvania, and low in the western portion, which includes the project area.Cold weather may contribute to high mortality, and will likely prevent expansion of this pest, unlessglobal warming eventually defeats very cold weather in the area. The hemlock woolly adelgid mostcommonly affects hemlocks, but can also affect spruce trees (DCNR).The species prefers mild conditions, and is most active from October to June. Eggs hatch in Februaryor March. Damage is inflicted when an immature nymph or adult sucks sap from twigs, which causeshosts to lose needles, and possibly die. Biological control agents include a beetle, which was released by4-28
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