The Rural Voice, 2006-08, Page 57rs
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Woodlot
Management
aggressively invades both open and
forested sites. It is a biennial,
producing many hundreds of seeds
per plant in the second year.
For a number of years garlic
mustard has been considered a threat
to some forest plants such as
trilliums, bloodroot and others that
grow early in the spring. It out -
competes these native species for
light, moisture, nutrients and space.
It also presents a threat to insects and
other organisms that have evolved to
depend on these native species to
complete their life cycle.
A recent study led by Harvard
University and also involving a
number of other universities,
including the University of Guelph,
has revealed even more cause for
concern with garlic mustard. They
discovered that it produces a natural
fungicide that inhibits naturally
occurring soil fungi. Many tree
species and other woodland plants
rely on a relationship with
mychorrhizal fungi in the soil to
increase the ability of their roots to
absorb moisture and nutrients from
the soil.
The researchers found that areas
infested with garlic mustard had
much less mychorrhizal fungi and
speculate this could have significant
impacts on tree vigour and ability of
tree seedlings to become established.
A publication, "Sustaining
Biodiversity, A Strategic Plan for
Managing Invasive Plants in
Southern Ontario" (available on the
Society for Ecological Restoration
web site at http://www.serontario.org/
pdfs/sustain.pdf) suggests that
invasive plants are considered one of
the most serious threats to global
biodiversity. Aside from ecological
costs to our forest ecosystems,
economic cost of introduced species
may also be considerable, both for
efforts to control them and also lower
returns due to reduced forest
productivity and health.
If you are concerned about garlic
mustard in your forest, you should
first learn how to identify it. There
are many publications and web sites
with information about garlic
mustard, including OMAFRA's
publication 505, Ontario Weeds. In
some cases it may be too well
established to even consider control.
However, if it is only present in a
small patch or two it can be pulled or
mowed (it may resprout) or treated
with herbicides, preferably before it
goes to seed. As the seed remains
viable in the soil for several years,
control will have to be carried out
every year for a number of years.
Also, be careful using herbicides as
you may also inadvertently kill native
woodland plants under the garlic
mustard. If you don't yet have garlic
mustard in your woodlot, remain
vigilant in looking for any new
infestations. If doing logging, you
may wish to request that the logger
pressure wash their equipment before
coming to your property, particularly
if they have been logging in a
woodlot with garlic mustard.
If you have questions about
woodlot management or ideas for
topics you would like to see covered
in a future column, please contact
Steve Bowers at 519-482-3661 or
Steve. bowers @ ontario.ca.
BERNIE McGLYNN
LUMBER LTD.
BUYER OF HARDWOOD BUSHLOTS
Wholesaler - Hardwood Lumber
Box 385, R.R. 2,
- ) Wingham, Ont. NOG 2W0
BERNIE McGLYNN
Ph/Fax (519) 357-1430
SAWMILL -
R.R. 45, Mildmay, Ont.
(519) 367.5789
1
s111112.—..,�
DAVID E. GREIN
LOGGING
Buyer of Standing
& Felled Hardwood Timber
& Bush Lots
• Competitive Pricing
• Quality Workmanship
R.R.# 1 Neustadt (519) 799-5997
'GpuNO S '
Marvin L. Smith
B.Sc.F. (Forestry), R.P.F.
Farm Woodland Specialist
570 Riverview Dr.
Listowel, Ontario N4W 3T7
Telephone: (519) 291-2236
Providing advice and assistance with:
• impartial advice/assistance in selling timber,
including selection of trees and marking
• reforestation of erodible or idle land
• follow-up tending of young plantations
• windbreak planning and establishment
• woodlot management planning
• diagnosis of insect and disease problems
• conducting educational programs in woodlot
management
• any other woodland or tree concerns
I Via
Tree Marking,
Advertising,
Woodlot
TAssessments,�;,u',
Foresters & Certified Tree Markers
SULTING 1-888-923-9995
Dave Taylor & John Todd Harold Frost
Jim Eccles Paris, ON Clinton, ON
Owen Sound, ON 519-442-3102 519-482-7176
519-794-9992
Eleanor Reed
Orillia, ON
705-328-4584
AUGUST 2006 53