Before reading advanced treatment, please view our page on “Basic Treatment” so you understand general information regarding treatment.

Effects on vegetation management and wildlife, an over 60-year study from Penn State talking about herbicides and wildlife.  Click below to see the multiple scientific studies.

HERBICIDES and WILDLIFE STUDIES

UW-EXTENSION CHEMICAL RECOMMENDATION PAGE LINK CLICK HERE

All credit for content goes to WI DNR and NPS.Gov
For more information, visit their sites here & here.

Manual Control

Equipment needed:

• Gloves
• Basic shovels or clippers.

“Manual control techniques use only non-mechanized hand tools. They are typically labor-intensive, expensive and best suited to treat small patches or very sparse infestations spread across a large area. Examples include hand-pulling, lopping, and cutting the plants below the root crown using shovel type tools. Manual control methods can be an appropriate treatment for perennials such as shrubs and trees that will not stump sprout after cutting or in areas where certain tools may not be appropriate, such as herbicide use near rare plants. Before plants produce seeds, flowering heads and any existing seeds are bagged and disposed of properly. One successful use of manual control has been the treatment of spotted and diffuse knapweed and mullein. These plants have been consistently hand-pulled and have not spread into the wilderness.”

Advantages

One great advantage of manual control methods is that they can be readily employed by volunteers.

Disadvantages

A major disadvantage of some manual control methods is the extensive ground disturbance and trampling of associated natives. These disturbed areas provide freshly exposed soil, the ideal habitat conditions for invasive plants to rapidly re-establish. Subsequent follow-up treatments can perpetuate the disturbance-invasive plant cycle.

 

Mechanical Control

Equipment needed:

• Mechanical equipment such as:
• Brush Cutters
• Electronic Harvesters
• Lawn Mower

“In situations where invasive plants have completely overwhelmed a site, mechanical methods may be appropriate. Hand-held motorized equipment, such as brush cutters quickly remove the above-ground portions of invasive plants.”

Advantages

Mechanical treatment is fast, efficient, and controlled.

Disadvantages

Mechanical methods are often labor-intensive, noisy, require more training and may involve significant collateral damage to non-target vegetation. There is a risk of injury. Many mechanical control methods can only be employed during the early season because of the late-season fire hazards. Mechanical mowing is also not a preferred method in designated Wilderness.

 

Chemical Control – Herbicides

Nutrien & 4-Control, Inc. – Invasive Species Control Recommendations

2021 Herbicide Recs

How to make a homemade herbicide wand for basal bark and cut stump treatments

making-a-killstick

Sprayer calibration techniques

Sprayer Calibration Presentation

Equipment needed:

• Designated chemicals or pesticides.
• Spraying equipment: backpack sprayer, truck-mounted sprayer, or hand sprayer.
• Wiper tools

“Chemical control refers to the use of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. The choice of a pesticide depends on the target population, stage of growth, the presence of desirable species that may be affected, the proximity of water resources and environmental conditions. Additionally, there may be some areas where chemical control is inappropriate, for example, if rare species are present. Pesticides must always be applied in accordance with the label.”

For information about chemical treatment in West Central Wisconsin, please view a PDF of effectiveness HERE.
Credit to Mark Renz

Advantages

Efficient, and significantly effective. Targeted herbicide applications kill invasive plants without any, or with very limited impacts to surrounding native plants.

Disadvantages

The use of herbicides are scrutinized for health reasons. Sometimes can be expensive. It requires a lot of research and precautions before implementing it.

 

Additional Methods

There are several additional methods of treatment, such as:

• Controlled burning
• Biological treatment
• Restoration
• Cultural Control

For more information please visit the sites listed earlier.

 

Disposal

“Please take caution when disposing of your invasive plants. Many weeds, like garlic mustard, continue to develop seeds once they have been pulled from the ground. For plants like this, effective control means that you must remove the flowering plants from the site to keep the seed from spreading.  Groups removing invasive weeds from public properties like parks should make arrangements with their local public works office for collection and disposal.”