Challenge: Invasive plants from contiguous habitat entering restoration sites can significantly affect restoration success [1].
Strategy: Seeding species that are similar in phenology and resource requirements to nearby weedy species can provide invasion resilience to a site. This is because species that are more similar, tend to compete more strongly. Another approach involves carefully monitoring the site for incipient weed populations and quickly eradicating those individuals through hand pulling or targeted herbicide application.
Resources
- Invasive Plants in Utah | Rangeland Resources of Utah
- Keeping Invasive Plants out of Restorations
- Noxious Weed Monitoring Techniques
- Monitoring | National Invasive Species Information Center
References
[1] Cione NK, Padgett PE, Allen EB. Restoration of a native shrubland impacted by exotic grasses, frequent fire, and nitrogen deposition in southern California. Restoration Ecology. 2002 [accessed 2022 Dec 22];10(2):376–384. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1526-100X.2002.02038.x. doi:10.1046/j.1526-100X.2002.02038.x