Conservation Strategies for Managing Invasive Plants in Mountain-Prairie NWRS

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Update Western Weed Coordinating Committee November 28-30, 2017 Las Vegas, NV Lindy Garner, Regional Invasive Species Program Lead Mountain-Prairie Region, Denver CO Give em an inch, they ll take an acre! Mountain-Prairie NWRS

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Crucial Conservation Conversations Prioritize Define and communicate primary management objective with staff and partners Evaluate species distribution and abundance within context of invasiveness and feasibility of control Evaluate weed impact specifically to primary management objective; biological integrity, grazing forage, migratory bird nesting habitat Area prioritization too rather than just species prioritization Accept that some invasive species may not have direct, or immediate harmful impacts, sacrifice areas? Mountain-Prairie NWRS

Compile list of non-native plants (established and nearby [early detection]) Review conservation targets and goals PLANNING Prioritize species: which non-native plants should be a focus of our limited resources? Prioritize areas: which areas are at greatest risk from invasive plants? Assess the distribution and abundance of priority invasive plants in in priority areas ASSESSMENT Understand the ecology of priority invasive plants Identify and document optimal strategies for managing priority invasive plant threats Develop SMART objectives: what are the expected results of our strategies? (short and long term?) IMPLEMENTATION Implement strategies Track implementation: what actions were taken and where Monitor: are we achieving the results we expected? (see SMART objectives)

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Review conservation targets and goals Review by Refuge Compile list of non-native plants (established and nearby) Pulled together prior to meeting Tuesday - Wednesday Prioritize species Wednesday - Thursday Prioritize areas

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT San Luis Valley NWR Complex, Colorado Table 2. Prioritized list of invasives species for the San Luis Valley NWR Complex. Common Name Proximity Nearest Co. cheatgrass On Complex MTV,ALA,BAC perennial pepperweed On Complex MTV,ALA,BAC Canada thistle On Complex MTV,ALA,BAC Russian knapweed On Complex MTV,ALA,BAC Russian olive On Complex MTV,ALA,BAC reed canarygrass On Complex MTV,ALA,BAC sowthistle On Complex MTV,ALA,BAC hoary cress On Complex MTV,ALA,BAC spotted knapweed <1 mile BAC musk thistle On Complex MTV yellow toadflax On Complex ALA,BAC salt cedar On Complex ALA,BAC purple loosestrife <50 miles Rio Arriba water hyacinth <10 miles Alamosa leafy spurge <1 mile BAC diffuse knapweed <10 miles Costilla Eurasian water-milfoil On Complex ALA Siberian elm On Complex MTV,ALA,BAC dalmatian toadflax <50 miles Archuleta halogeton On Complex MTV,BAC Ecological Impact Total Score Status Abundance <10% 10-25% <10% <10% <10% <10% <10% <10% na <10% <10% <10% na na na na <10% <10% na <10% Invasiveness Legal Status Refuge or Habitat Suitability High Moderate Moderate Low Low Low Moderate Low High High Low Low Moderate Low High High Low Low High High Score Rank High High High/med Medium Medium High Med/low Medium High/med Medium Med/low Med/low High High High Medium Low High/med Medium Medium Score Rank Very High Very High Score Designation CO List C CO List B CO List B CO List B CO List B Score 4 2 2 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 9.2 8.1 8.07 8.07 8.07 7.3 7.17 7.03 6.9 6.77 6.77 6.7 6.43 6.43 6.37 6.37 6.37 6.1 3.2 3.6 3.07 3.07 3.07 3.6 3.07 2.53 1.4 High 2.1 1 1 2 Very High Very High Very High 3 3 3 na 0.6 High High High 2.1 2.1 2.1 0.9 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.1 0.9 2.1 2.1 0.9 2.1 CO List C CO List B CO List B CO List B CO List B CO List B CO List A CO Watch CO List B CO List B CO List B NM List C CO List B CO List C 1 1.4 4 1 Medium High High High High Medium High High Medium High None 3.07 3.07 1.6 1.33 2.53 2.27 3.07 3.07 0.6 0.6 2 2 2 1 0.2 1.4 2 4 1 1 0 6 Mountain-Prairie NWRS

INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT San Luis Valley NWR Complex, Colorado AREA PRIORITIZATION SLV COMPLEX MONTE VISTA BACA ALAMOSA Upland Rabbit- brush Wetlands/ Wet Meadow Wetlands/ Wet Meadow Wet Uplands Uplands Meadow Upland Grease- wood Retired Ag Playa Riparian Retired Ag Retired Ag Riparian Vanessa Fields

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT San Luis Valley NWR Complex, Colorado Table 3. List of prioritized areas for the San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Area Description Resist. low low low mod high low high high low low mod low high Invasion Risk Aquatic high high high medium high low medium low medium high high medium medium Invasive Plant Status Infestation >40% >40% 10-40% <10% <10% 10-40% <10% <10% >40% 10-40% 10-40% >40% <10% Total Score Score 1.4 1.2 1.6 2.4 2.1 1.3 2.0 2.4 1.8 1.3 1.3 1.4 2.4 Area Alamosa riparian Alamosa wetlands Monte Vista wetlands Alamosa uplands Baca wetland Baca retired ag Monte Vista uplands Baca rabbitbrush Monte Vista retired ag Baca playas Baca riparian Alamosa retired ag Baca greasewood Integrity poor fair fair good fair poor good very good poor poor poor poor fair T&E high high low med med med low med low med high low low ROC high high high high high high high high med high high med high Score Terrestrial 3.1 high 3.3 medium 2.3 high 2.7 medium 1.9 low 2.6 medium 1.8 medium 2.6 low 1.6 medium 2.6 medium 2.6 low 1.6 medium 1.4 low Transport medium medium high medium low high high low high low medium high low Disturb. high High high low high medium low low medium low low medium low Risk 2.6 2.4 3.0 1.5 1.8 1.9 1.9 0.6 2.2 1.4 1.4 2.2 0.9 # spp 6-10 >10 6-10 1-5 1-5 6-10 6-10 1-5 1-5 6-10 6-10 6-10 1-5 7.1 6.9 6.9 6.6 5.8 5.8 5.7 5.6 5.6 5.3 5.3 5.2 4.7 Mountain-Prairie NWRS

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT San Luis Valley NWR Complex, Colorado Table 4. Prioritized areas with top 3 current invaders and EDRR species Areas Top three invasives (current) Alamosa riparian Russian olive, sowthistle, Siberian elm Top three EDRR species Salt cedar, yellow toadflax, Swainsonpea Alamosa wetlands Canada thistle, Russian olive, sowthistle reed canarygrass, yellow toadflax, puncturevine Chicory, common tansy, salt cedar Monte Vista wetlands Reed canarygrass, musk thistle, Canada thistle Russian thistle, hoary cress, perennial pepperweed Perennial pepperweed, Canada thistle, sowthistle Cheatgrass, Canada thistle, Russian knapweed Russian olive, Russian knapweed, perennial pepperweed Russian olive Alamosa uplands Cheatgrass, yellow toadflax, musk thistle Baca wetlands Reed canarygrass, yellow toadflax, musk thistle Perennial pepperweed, Russian olive, puncturevine Cheatgrass, yellow toadflax, spotted knapweed Cheatgrass, musk thistle, perennial pepperweed Russian olive, restem filaree, puncturevine Baca retired ag Monte Vista uplands Baca rabbitbrush Monte Vista retired ag Russian knapweed, cheatgrass, Siberian elm Perennial pepperweed, Canada thistle, salt cedar Russian knapweed, reed canarygrass, sowthistle Hoary cress, cheatgrass, halogeton Baca playas Spotted knapweed, cheatgrass, Swainson pea Russian olive, Siberian elm, musk thistle Baca riparian Alamosa retired ag Common mullein, Russian thistle, musk thistle Salt cedar, perennial pepperweed, Canada thistle Baca greasewood Halogeton Mountain-Prairie NWRS

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Several Other Initiatives Large Eradication Project Fund $1 million Inventory and Early Detection Guide Prevention Policy and BMPs Spatial Data Management Team Sagebrush Operations with Partners Inventory and Monitoring Protocols Mountain-Prairie NWRS