Invasive Plant Removal Efforts

Giant Cane Update, March 17, 2010: Friends of Red Bud Isle is working with PARD to eradicate a section of giant cane in an area of Red Bud Isle.  PARD approval and information are posted on the kiosk.  PARD posting.

Native Trees vs Invasive Plants at Red Bud Isle:

• Red Bud Isle is filled with the following native trees:

American Elm, Acacia, Cedar Elm, Cottonwood, Cypress, Flameleaf Sumac, Live Oak, Mexican Plum, Mountain Laurel, Mustang Grape, Pecan, Red Oak, Redbud, Roughleaf Dogwood, Sycamore, Texas Ash... and we may have a missed a few.

• Red Bud Isle also has an overabundance of the following invasive plants. We are working with PARD to remove these plants from the park.

Ligustrum, Giant Cane (arundo donax), Chinaberry, Japanese Honeysuckle, Poison Ivy

 

Invasive plant removal update:  Another pass at ligustrum removal was made in July and in Oct, 2008.  Both passes involved hiring E-Corps to cut and treat the old stumps from previous workdays and cut larger ligustrum.   The wooded areas of the park are looking more natural without these unsightly stumps.  We are working with PARD to determine the next phase.  Minimizing brush piles will be a priority.

Ligustrum and chinaberry trees, the two invasive tree types we are targeting at Red Bud Isle, are very fast growing trees and are very adaptable.  Left unchecked they will quickly become established in areas, take over and choke out native plants.  As you walk through the park you can see the effect they have had in areas. Here are a few problems these plants create:

• Invasive plants shade out understory plants, leaving bare dirt that erodes quickly. 

• Invasive plants grow quickly, out-competing native plants that feed and shelter wildlife.

• Invasive plants produce astronomical quantities of seed, allowing them to spread rapidly throughout the area.

Native plants will rebound quickly in areas where invasive plants have been removed and we will be planting native species in specific areas to help with the recovery.

Here is our strategy:

1.   Invasive plant removal at Red Bud Isle involves volunteers cutting ligustrum and chinaberry a couple of feet from the ground with hand saws.  The smaller ligustrum are removed using a weed wrench (removes the roots) or hand pulled.   Volunteer efforts are discussed, planned and approved by PARD before working at Red Bud Isle. 

2.   PARD will cut stumps at ground level with a chain saw and apply the appropriate treatment to prevent re-growth.  We have the option of hiring E-Corps for this service also, and have done this for multiple passes.

3.   PARD will also cut down the larger ligustrum and chinaberry trees, or we can hire E-Corps to do this also.  We have used E-Corps for this service also. 

4.   PARD will haul off the brush piles. 

5.  We have also been cutting back specific vines that are invasive or causing problems (pepper vine, poison ivy, honeysuckle, and vines that are choking trees).  PARD will be treating the poison ivy re-growth to kill it, we hope anyway.

We greatly appreciate your patience through this process. 
The park will recover beautifully.

Page last updated on 03/28/2010