2006 Invasive Plant Project and Weed-Pull Events

Invasive species are the second greatest threat to biodiversity (behind habitat loss). This unwelcome vegetation destroys natural habitats, reduces wildlife populations, decreases wildlife-related recreational opportunities, and causes great economic loss. Once established, it is nearly impossible to eradicate invasives and restoration of disturbed land becomes extremely difficult. The continental U.S. has already lost millions of acres of natural habitat to invasive plants.

Alaska still has the opportunity to halt the spread of noxious weeds, as our invasive plant populations are relatively small and are located in towns and along the road system. The Friends hope to keep invasives from spreading from the borders of our wildlife refuges into their wild interiors.

Friends volunteers pull white sweet clover along the Dalton Highway

This summer the Friends conducted "weed pulls" and community education events to remove invasive plants from six of the sixteen national wildlife refuges in Alaska. Volunteers contributed over 1,000 hours and traveled hundreds of miles to pull weeds at Izembek, Kanuti, Kenai, Kodiak, Tetlin and Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuges. Target weeds included Canada thistle, white sweet clover, orange hawkweed, and the common dandelion. Funding for this project was provided by "Volunteers with Invasives", a national program of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Some of the "pulls" lasted only one day, and involved educating ourselves and local residents about invasive plants as well as the difficult job that it is to control these weeds once they become established. Most of the actual weed pulls were demonstrations of what can be done with the cooperation of volunteers and guidance and support of various agencies such as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service. Some efforts were to eliminate blooming plants in areas where specific weeds were just beginning to invade or threatening to move into refuge land or, as we said, "putting out spot fires"! These invasive were attacked by pulling, digging, and as a last resort, spraying the invaders. For many, this was a new experience.