A Management Guide for Invasive Plants in Southern Forests James ...

41Steven T. ManningCare of the herd is critical, and must include regular inspections, treatment ofinjuries, vaccinations, and water supply. Both shock grazing and year-round grazinghave been researched and used to limited degrees. Multiple years are required toachieve major invasive plant reductions and additionalmethods are required for restoration. Spring and earlysummer are critical times for goat and sheep controlof invasive shrubs. The key to control is repeatedheavy defoliation in spring and early summer withoutovergrazing grasses and legumes. Thus a rotationsystem works best. Using a mixture of goats, sheep,and cattle will provide the most effective clearing andsubsequent plant kill, especially of multiflora rose(Rosa multiflora Thunb. ex Murr.) and autumn olive(Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.). Goats are most usefulfor these woody species at 5 to 10 animals per acreGoats browse younggrowth first.during the first season, while fewer goats can be used after two orthree seasons. All of these grazers and browsers have been used inkudzu control programs to varying degrees of success.Hair sheep shock grazing kudzu after2 days.Dick HenryMulching and SolarizationMulching for weed control is the use of materials to cover the soil surface that block light, therebypreventing weed germination and growth. While mulches and landscape fabrics are commonlyused in restoration operations for reseeding and soil stabilization, mulches for weed controlmust be applied at rates high enough to prevent light from reaching the soil surface. Mulchingis most effective on controlling small seeded species and is marginally effective on establishedresprouting perennials. There are many types of mulches including natural ones such as straw,bark, sawdust, crop residues, and grass clippings, and artificial ones such as paper, cardboard,and plastic. While mulch applications are not commonly made to control invasives on a largescale, they are still useful. For example, the use of a mulching machine for clearing privet andtallowtree can create a heavy mulch layer that will suppress subsequent seedlingrecruitment. Another effective use of mulch, especially to suppress dense groundcovers, combines cardboard and organic mulch. The cardboard covers and overlapsedges of the treatment area, and is then covered with organic mulch. Smalldrain holes in the cardboard prevent water from pooling. Left to compost in place,the cardboard will suppress vegetation underneath.Prescribed grazing bycattle for kudzu controlbefore planting pines.Soil solarization uses polyethylene sheeting to cover low growing, cultivated,mowed, or chopped invasive infestations and trap solar energy to heat the soiland space under the sheeting to kill and suppress invasive plants. At least 2 yearsof summer cover are needed to suppress most invasives plants by 90 percent.Other plants are killed by this method—it is not selective. Black sheeting is moreeffective than clear sheeting because it blocks needed sunlight, and, at an extracost, is available with UV blockers to greatly extend the useful life of sheets tomore than one growing season. Sheeting costs range from $1,500 to $3,500 peracre, while the labor costs of installation have not been reported. Sheets canbe held in place with soil mounds and squares of old carpet. A detriment is themosquitoes that breed in rainwater puddles that form on sheets. The method isuseful as a first treatment for relatively small areas and where herbicides cannotbe used. Summer is the most effective season, and use on wet soils increasescontrol. After removal, the bare soil is open for reinvasion unless desirable revegetationis gained.Black polyethylene sheet first removedfrom kudzu.One month later, surviving kudzusprouts.Newt Hardie Newt Hardie