lyssum Aerial Surveys Planned for the Illinois Valley June 6, 2013... The Oregon Department of Agriculture will conduct low-level helicopter flights throughout the Illinois Valley to look for infestations of Yellow Tuft Alyssum, an aggressive noxious weed. The flights will take place June 18 when the populations are highly visible due to the hundreds of bright yellow blooms on each plant. The aerial survey will cover federal, state, county, and private lands where serpentine soils dominate. Because of these characteristics, serpentine soil hosts a large number of plants that are found only on this type of soil and have highly restricted ranges. The Illinois Valley contains the largest concentration of serpentine soils in Oregon and the area is highly prized for its unique ecology and flora. Yellow Tuft Alyssum, an Eastern European import, was originally planted in the Illinois Valley as an experimental crop. Many of the fields have been unattended or abandoned and are a source of seeds. The plant does very well in serpentine soils and threatens to overtake native plant communities. The flights’ only mission is to identify unknown populations of Yellow Tuft Alyssum for eradication. If plants are found on private land, the property owner will be contacted and asked if they wish to cooperate in eradication efforts. Monitoring of eradicated sites on public lands will continue for at least five years to ensure any latent seed source doesn’t produce new populations. “It’s critical that we do what we can as soon as we can to stop the spread of this noxious weed and protect our special native plant communities,” says Tim Butler, supervisor of ODA’s Noxious Weed Program. “The flights are worth the cost when compared to what would need to be spent to protect sensitive plant species should the Yellow Tuft Alyssum become widely established on the serpentine soils.” “We have a narrow window for detection of Yellow Tuft Alyssum and will need every second of flight time just to look for this plant.” For information and photos of Yellow Tuft Alyssum go to: oregon.gov/ODA/PLANT/WEEDS/edrr.shtml To report the location of suspected Yellow Tuft Alyssum plants, fill out the form on the Oregon State University Weedmapper website at weedmapper.org/submit.php Contact: Tim Butler, Oregon Department of Agriculture, (503) 986-4625
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 22:14:50 +0000
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