Invasive species pose a serious threat to our ability to preserve, restore, recreate, and maintain native ecosystems at CERA. Invasives are native or non-native species that disrupt the structure and functioning of native ecosystems. The following list includes non-native species we are trying to control in each type of habitat.

Prairie Invaders
Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata)
Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)
Crown vetch (Coronilla varia)
Yellow and White sweetclovers (Melilotus officinale, M. alba)
Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis)
Smooth brome (Bromus inermis)

Savanna/Woodland Invaders
Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)
Honeysuckles (Lonicera maackii, L. tartarica)
Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis)
Smooth brome (Bromus inermis)

Wetland Invaders
Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)

Generalists/Disturbed Area Invaders
Wild carrot/Queen Anne's lace (Daucus carota)
Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
Burdock (Arctium minus)

Species List of Exotic and Invasive Species at CERA
This list [invasivespecies.pdf] contains all non-native species that have been identified at CERA, with those having invasive qualities indicated.

Herbicides, mowing, hand-cutting, prescribed burning, and combinations of all of these methods are used to control invasives at CERA. Generally, biennial species like wild carrot, wild parsnip, and sweetclovers are controlled by cutting flowering stems prior to seed set. Perennial grasses are controlled by carefully timing prescribed fire. Herbicides are used extensively to control perennial forbs (Sericea lespedeza, Canada thistle, crown vetch) and woody shrubs and trees (multiflora rose, honeysuckles, black locust) in combination with frequent prescribed burns.

Extensive monitoring is conducted each year to evaluate the effectiveness of all control methods. Numbers and locations of cut plants are recorded in work journals and numbers and locations of plants cut and/or treated with herbicides are documented in herbicide records. Systematic monitoring data has been collected since the 2001 growing season. Contact the CERA Manager for access to these data.

• Alward, Sarah E. 2003.
  Using herbarium records to document plant invasions in Iowa.
  MAP, Vince Eckhart.

• Wisconsin DNR Invasive Plants
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Wildland Weeds Management & Research
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Image Gallery (Now in archived form since early 2009)
• Minnesota DNR Invasive Species
• USDA NRCS National PLANTS Database