Sacramento Weed Warriors
An
Environmental Stewardship Project of the
California
Native Plant Society-Sacramento Valley Chapter
SWW is now serving as the
Volunteer Stewardship Component of the American River Invasive Plant Management
Project
Weed Warriors Wanted ! ! !
The
American River Parkway and creeks throughout Sacramento are being invaded. The invaders are non-native plants: Red
Sesbania, Spanish Broom, Giant Reed (Arundo), Yellow Starthistle, Chinese Tree
of Heaven, and others. So what's the matter
with these plants brought from distant parts of the world? Why not let nature take its course?
Unfortunately, these exotic plants have been brought to California and
Sacramento by actions of man, not by "mother nature" and have become
invasive weeds. In our environment,
because of their adaptability -these plants can out-compete young willows,
sycamores, cottonwoods, and other native plants for water, nutrients from the
soil and sunlight. They are robbing our
waterways of water with their deep tap roots.
Sesbania and Spanish Broom produce millions of seeds and thus thousands
of new plants are taking over whole islands and sand bars on the American River
and along Dry Creek and Arcade Creek.
Starthistle eliminates native grasses and its sharp spiked flowers make
trails virtually impassable for hikers, fishermen, and bird watchers. Our
wildlife - birds, butterflies, insects, rodents, raccoons,
deer - generally do not use these plants for food since they have come from far
away locations and often have unpalatable chemicals. If these invasive plants
take over the sensitive riparian habitat along our rivers and creeks, the
results will be devastating for many native plants and the wildlife that depend
them for shelter and food.
So what
are we doing about this invasion? Since
May 2001, the Sacramento Weed Warriors (SWW) project, under the leadership of
the California Native Plant Society - Sacramento Valley Chapter, has been
implementing a community-wide non-native weed eradication initiative. Environmental
organizations, government agencies, schools and colleges, youth groups,
neighborhood organizations, church groups, and businesses are supporting this
initiative and have been encouraging their members - young and older - to
participate. So far our youngest
volunteer was six, our oldest was 84!!
Over
the past year, SWW Volunteers have contributed 6000 hours to remove Arundo,
Sesbania, and Spanish broom on the American River Parkway. This past spring, in concert with Creek Week
2002 (organized by Sacramento's Urban Creeks Council), this campaign also began
to attack Sesbania that is invading Sacramento's creeks. During Creek Week
Clean-up Day, volunteers targeted infected areas along Dry Creek and Arcade
Creek. As part of National Youth Service Day on April 27th, more
than 150 students and adults began the process of removing Spanish Broom along
the American River.
During
the next two years, SWW will be a part of the American River Parkway Invasive Plant Management Project (IPMP) that will utilize professional crews to remove 5
species of invasive weeds in areas with major infestations. SWW will be
responsible for implementing IPMP's community
stewardship component. IPMP resources will enable SWW to significantly expand
its publicity and outreach efforts. In
the short term, we will be assisting in the removal of mature vegetation. Over
the long term, Sacramento Weed Warrior teams will provide ongoing
"surveillance" to control new seedlings and resprouts
to ensure that there will be sustained protection of native wildlife
habitat. These invasive plants,
especially those that have been producing seeds for several years, have the
capacity to generate new seedlings for many more years. Based on recommendations of environmental
scientists and governmental restoration experts, we intend to organize groups
to plant and protect native trees, shrubs, and grasses, also requiring
multi-year stewardship. To do this, we will need to mobilize permanent
Adopt-a-Creek and Adopt-a-Mile stewardship groups - with an emphasis on
partnerships with schools, youth groups, and neighborhood associations - to
implement community service projects in critical target areas.
Several Types of Volunteers are Needed!!! To accomplish these ambitious goals, Sacramento Weed
Warriors needs volunteers. We need lots of eager workers who can whack weeds.
But we also need individuals who can help with critical organizational
activities. In order for this partnership effort to be sustainable over time,
SWW will be developing appropriate educational materials that can be used in
school classrooms and for youth group projects. We will be recruiting retired
environmental specialists who can assist teachers and youth group leaders to
conduct environmental science activities, such as data gathering projects,
water quality monitoring and plant and wildlife investigations. Equally
important, we need help to establish partnerships with interested local
businesses.
In
addition to the physical weed removal work, we are seeking "linkers"
who can help us by reaching out to community organizations. Virtually every
type of group throughout Sacramento - neighborhood associations, community
centers, religious groups, bike clubs, joggers, fishermen's groups, horsemen,
rafters - have members who benefit from our invaluable creeks and rivers and
are likely to volunteer some of their time to assist in this effort to protect
the biodiversity of these resources.
This war on weeds will be successful only if we mobilize a sustainable
community-wide campaign, including annual events (such as Creek Week and the
Great American River Clean-up) along with regular monthly projects - all of which can be enjoyable and
educational for young and older alike.
We are ready to utilize Weed Warriors -- on the first Saturday of every Month
Join us
for an upcoming Weed Warriors work group in the near future. There will be a regular
community work group held on the first Saturday of every month. If you are a member of an organization that would like to schedule
a special event, generally along the American River Parkway (or along Dry
Creek), we will gladly arrange a work day for your organization. SWW has
a full supply of work tools and gloves so we can accommodate as many as 60 Weed
Warriors (more with advance notice) at a time. We intend to establish a web
site location in the near future to publicize all upcoming events. Join us, and
bring a friend or a family member, as soon and as often as you can!!! Working along the American River or one of
our neighborhood creeks is an enjoyable physical activity and likely will be a
productive educational experience as well.
Contact Frank
Wallace,
the SWW Coordinator, for more details about upcoming work group locations,
dates, and times. Send an email to frankw2@pacbell.net
or call him at 427-5694.
Is a community stewardship initiative being
implemented under the leadership of the
California Native Plant Society – Sacramento Valley
Chapter
in cooperation with
Sacramento Urban Creeks Council; Sierra Club - Mother
Lode Chapter
Save the American River Association; Sacramento Area
Flood Control Agency
Effie Yeaw Nature Center; Placer Nature Center, REI
Inc.; Sacramento Tree Foundation
American River College - Natural Resources; CSU
Sacramento - Associated Students Inc.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Lower American River Corridor Management Plan
(RCMP) was recently endorsed by the
Sacramento Board of Supervisors and the
Sacramento City Council.
It highlights the need
to control invasive non-native plants and encourages the
development of
community volunteer efforts, such as the Sacramento Weed Warriors.