Invasive Plant Management in the North Carolina Sandhills
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Weed Management Area (WMA)?
Partnership of federal, state and local government agencies; individuals; and various interested groups that cooperatively manage non-native invasive plant species in a defined area
What is a non-native invasive plant species?
Any plant species, that is not native to the ecosystem under consideration, whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. (Executive Order 13112: Invasive Species)
What are invasive plant species impacts in the NC Sandhills? Non-native invasive plants competitively displace native species, alter community structure and function by altering water, energy, nutrient and disturbance cycles, which can cause loss of biodiversity, increased soil erosion, and degradation of habitat.No studies have been conducted to measure non-native invasive plant species impacts in the NC Sandhills.However, several of studies have measured impacts elsewhere in the Southeast, indicating similar impacts are possible in the NC Sandhills.To date, 51 non-native invasive plant species have been documented in the region.Notable species capable of forming dense monocultures and causing major impacts include: Chinese tallowtree (Sapium sebiferum), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), and Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum), golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea), and Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum).
Native species displacement – The NC Sandhills have unique plant and animal communities that rely on specific moisture, light, fire, and nutrient conditions for their survival.The introduction of non-native invasive plant species into these communities can alter conditions and dramatically change species composition, displacing rare native species.
Threatened and Endangered Species – Natural areas in the NC Sandhills have a large number of state and federally listed Threatened and Endangered Species.The unique habitat conditions in the Sandhills are necessary to maintain Threatened and Endangered Species populations.Non-native invasive plant species present in the region are capable of altering habitat and directly displacing the Threatened and Endangered Species.Chinese privet, which is in high abundance in the NC Sandhills, has been shown to specifically impact rare plant habitat in North Carolina.Red-cockaded Woodpecker habitat can be altered by non-native invasive plant species like Chinese lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata), or shrubby bushclover (Lespedeza bicolor), which are capable of replacing native ground cover species, diminishing the foraging capabilities of RCWs, which prefer to forage in open areas with low growing ground cover.
Forestry – Whether your primary interest in forestry is timber production, aesthetics, recreation, or wildlife, many aspects of forest management can be adversely affected by non-native invasive plant species. Many non-native invasive plant species affect forest health, productivity, access and management costs. Several non-native invasive plant species present in the NC Sandhills have the potential to impact, or have already begun impacting various forest product industries. An obvious example is kudzu (Pueraria montana), which covers approximately 7 million acres in the Southeast, costing roughly $500 million dollars in lost farm and timber production annually.Cogon grass (Imperata cylindrical) has significantly impacted commercial forestry operations in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina; fortunately it has not yet been identified in the NC Sandhills. Non-native invasive plant species also impact the pine straw industry.In Florida, the Japanese climbing fern (Lygodium japonicum) has forced pine straw producers to abandon leased pine stands where its infestation has made harvest of a clean and legally saleable product impossible.Japanese climbing fern has not been identified in the NC Sandhills, however the presence of other non-native invasive plant species on pine straw production lands could impact operations by preventing the sale of weed-free straw.Foresters, landowners, and land managers must be proactive against non-native invasive plant species to maintain the health, function and long-term productivity of their forests.
Prescribed burns – Non-native invasive plant species can alter fire regimes by increasing or decreasing the flammability of invaded sites. Non-native invasive plant species with increased flammability and heat content can create dangerous fires that harm native plant communities, damage property, and create safety hazards.Decreased flammability will reduce the efficacy of prescribed burns, potentially altering native plant communities and impacting Threatened and Endangered Species and wildlife habitat.In a study comparing the combustibility of native and non-native invasive plant species, three non-native invasive plant species found in the NC Sandhills, Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum), and Japanese knotweed were shown to have a lower heat content than native species. Cooperative regional management will help ensure the effectiveness of future prescribed burning.
Recreation – Non-native invasive plant species can impact recreational opportunities in the NC Sandhills.Infestations of aquatic non-native invasive plant species like alligatorweed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), parrot’s feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum), and aneilima (Murdannia keisak can disrupt boating, swimming, and fishing.Rapid establishment, growth, and spread of dense mats on water surfaces can also alter water flow and light resources, leading to the accumulation of sediment and debris, or flooding.Terrestrial species like kudzu and Chinese privet have formed dense thickets that can reduce site accessibility for hiking, bicycling, and horse back riding.
Erosion – Non-native invasive plant species can increase erosion by replacing native species.Japanese stiltgrass is an annual non-native invasive plant that rapidly invades streambanks, creating complete monocultures.Japanese stiltgrass has a shallow root structure that cannot hold soil in place like native species, thus increasing erosion. Japanese stiltgrass is in high abundances in some parts of the NC Sandhills. Proactive, regional management of species like Japanese stiltgrass will prevent erosion problems.
Which invasive plant species are problematic?
There is documentation of 51 non-native invasive plant species in the NC Sandhills, with even more likely to be found.When seeds are spread from existing infestations within the region and surrounding areas the chances of species becoming more widely established and problematic greatly increases. However, the impacts of non-native invasive plant species are not always apparent at first because they can affect resources indirectly.Sometimes impacts on particular resources are hard to quantify until the non-native invasive plant is well-established and difficult to control.Too often the future threat posed by non-native invasive plants in a region is underestimated because frequently there is a lag phase during which abundances are relatively constant before rapidly increasing.
Fire plays an important role in managing many NC Sandhills habitats.Although it is true that non-native invasive plants intolerant of frequent burns simply do not survive, not every part of the NC Sandhills can be burned, and not every non-native invasive plant species is intolerant of fire.Several species present in the region have been described as fire tolerant, or fire resistant, including:Chinese privet, Chinese lespedeza, shrubby bushclover and wisteria (Wisteria sinense, Wisteria floribunda).These species are of particular concern, because they have the potential to spread into areas that are regularly managed with fire and cause significant harm.Also of concern are species that can invade unburned streamhead pocosins, cypress-gum swamps, Sandhill seeps. Chinese tallowtree (Sapium sebiferum) is an example of a highly invasive tree found in the Sandhills that grows in wet habitats.Chinese tallowtree has caused significant damage to wet habitats throughout the Southeast. On lands that are burned regularly or not at all, non-native invasive plant species have the potential to cause harm.
How does a Weed Management Area benefit me?
Prevention of future invasions – Weed Management Areas can be effective at preventing non-native invasive plants from becoming difficult, expensive problems.Cooperative weed management can provide an effective framework to communicate and respond to the early detection of new infestations of highly invasive species.Additionally, public education campaigns highlighting the impacts of non-native invasive plants can reduce the use of harmful species in landscaping, and can reduce the spread of invasive species on vehicles, equipment, and clothing.Prevention is the most effective and affordable type of invasive plant species management.
Control across jurisdictional boundaries – Management across jurisdictional boundaries helps ensure effective invasive plant species control within the entire region.Through a WMA, land managers are able to work with neighbors to prevent infestations from becoming a problem for everyone.
Shared resources and expertise – Costs and management burdens are reduced for individual landowners when resources, manpower, and expertise are shared amongst members of the WMA.Landowners can learn a lot from each others’ experiences about control methods that work or don’t work. Expensive machinery or tools can also be shared amongst landowners.Additionally, WMA funds can be used to purchase stocks of materials, like herbicide for all members to use.Similarly, volunteer work forces can be shared.There’s no need for every landowner in the region to be an invasive species expert with a large stock of resources and manpower.
Increased funding opportunities – Members of the WMA can work together to secure funds from more sources than each individual landowner could.For example, Federal grants can be used for management on State property within the context of the WMA and vice versa.Several funding sources specifically give priority funding to established Weed Management Areas.Funds are pooled together are then distributed to the highest priority needs for the region as determined by WMA leadership and stakeholders.
Political voice – A WMA provides members with a united voice to state, federal, and local legislators, helping to focus attention on invasive plant issues.An example of an important invasive plant species issue a WMA can address is population growth in the North Carolina Sandhills.Population growth can bring new residential and commercial development to the borders of the many managed natural areas and commercial forests in the region.Development can bring an influx of non-native invasive landscaping species, which can affect all land managers in the region.A coordinated group of concerned land managers represented by an established WMA can work with local county and municipal officials to promote the use of native and non-invasive landscaping species, thereby limiting the introduction of non-native invasive plant species from new development.
What demands are placed on my organization with participation in the WMA?
Membership is not required.Each individual person and organization can be as active as they want to be.The more active your organization is in the Weed Management Area, the better its invasive plant species issues are represented.
How can I become a member?
There is no formal membership application process.All members of the North Carolina Sandhills Conservation Partnership (NCSCP) are considered members of the North Carolina Sandhills Weed Management Area (NCSWMA), since it is a Working Groups within the NCSCP.Individuals or organizations who are not members of the NCSCP can participate as active members of the NCSWMA.The NCSWMA encourages membership from important landowners, agencies, municipalities and organizations, whose work is relevant to invasive plant species issues in the region.
The Memorandum of Understanding for the NCSCP, which is required for Federal agencies to share resources with different agencies and organizations, is considered an official agreement for the NCSWMA as well.
How can I contribute to the WMA?
Leadership – The NCSWMA is at a very important time in its development. The group needs interested people to be leaders and active participants, so the group can grow into an effective organization.There are opportunities to fill the following key leadership roles; Chair, co-Chair, Secretary, and five Council Leadership positions.There will always be room for people to take on leadership positions in the future.
Information sharing – By sharing information about known invasive plant occurrences, impacts on land use, current and planned management practices, and management resource needs, regional priorities can be established to focus invasive plant species management on the most urgent problems in the region.
Manpower – Organizations can contribute manpower for NCSWMA projects, whether it’s personnel, or volunteers doing on the ground management, maintaining a website, writing grant proposals, attending meetings, or any other project assisting the NCSWMA.
Equipment – Organizations can contribute equipment for NCSWMA projects.There may be a need for backpack herbicide sprayers, hand tools, mowing equipment, GPS units, or quality printers to make brochures or posters.Sharing equipment can be an easy way to support NCSWMA projects.