Keuka Lake Outlet Trail Wild Parsnip Removal Project

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1 Keuka Lake Outlet Trail Wild Parsnip Removal Project Primary Investigator: William Brown, Keuka College Collaborator: Emily Staychock, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Yates County

2 Keuka Lake Outlet Trail Wild Parsnip Removal Project 1. IS Control: Provide a public service in removing large patches of wild parsnip along the Outlet Trail 2. Restoration: To establish native plant species turtlehead and spotted joe-pye weed and study their ability to resist future growth of wild parsnip Study the effects of exchanging an invasive plant species with native flowering species on attracting and maintaining local butterfly populations, including the Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydras phaeton), Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), and other nectaring insects 3. Education Provide training for Friends of the Outlet members and other volunteers in invasive species identification and management Provide educational opportunities for Emily Bower, a Keuka College student, who was hired to assist with this project Design, produce and place educational signs at the study sites and trailhead to educate trail users about invasive species and this specific project 4. imap

3 Wild parsnip Pastinaca sativa Widely distributed throughout the US, can tolerate a broad range of conditions First year: produces a rosette of broad, hairless, ovate, compound pinnate leaves, up to six inches in length; they can grow up to 16 inches long Second year: flower stalk develops from the rosette and can grow to a height of four to five feet; stalk is grooved, hairy, and, except at the nodes, hollow; Leaflets are arranged in pairs along the stalk, saw-toothed margins Lesilie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticutt, Bugwood.org Long, thick taproot Reproduces by seed Caution: sap contains chemical (furanocoumarin) that increases the skin s sensitivity to sunlight and can cause serious blistering (phytophotodermatitis)

4 keukaoutlettrail.org 7-mile-long multiple use trail that is open to the public Trail begins at the parking lot for the Penn Yan Village boat launch and follows the Outlet Creek, which drains Keuka Lake into Seneca Lake Ends about a mile from where the Outlet Creek meets Seneca Lake in Dresden

5 Popular destination for locals and tourists Hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, snowmobiling, and enjoying nature Riparian, forest, and meadow habitats Multiple waterfalls Numerous invasive plant species A great outdoor classroom Photo courtesy of Steve Knapp

6 Historical uses The Trail follows an old right-of-way for a railroad built in 1884 to connect Keuka and Seneca Lakes Prior to the railroad, there was a towpath for the Crooked Lake Canal, which was constructed in the early 1800s The Canal stopped running in 1877 and the railroad stopped running in 1972 after irreparable damage from Hurricane Agnes myfingerlakes.com Remains of numerous mills that once operated along the creek can still be viewed today myfingerlakes.com

7 The Trail was sold to the Friends of the Outlet in 1995 Since then, the Friends have acquired several adjoining properties The Outlet Trail is maintained and improved by the Friends of the Outlet, an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization devoted to protecting and preserving the lands and waters in the Keuka Lake Outlet ravine. (keukaoutlettrail.com) Increasingly concerned with the spread of invasive species, particularly wild parsnip, which poses a public health risk Trail sustained heavy damage during the major flood event of May 2014, and the Friends of the Outlet Trail have had to focus its funds and energy on trail rehabilitation

8 Keuka College student Emily Bower: earned college credit for her work as part of her Keuka College Field Period Emily learned to identify many invasive and native plant species and was exposed to many other aspects of natural history along the trail Emily assisted with wild parsnip removal Emily helped collect and record data for imap Over 70 new imap observations along the Outlet Trail wild parsnip, common/european buckthorn, multiflora rose, Tree of Heaven, and Japanese knotweed

9 Wild Parsnip Removal Focused on the eastern half of the Trail Removed approximately 900 wild parsnip plants from along the Outlet Trail through the month of June Several hundred more wild parsnip plants were removed during July, August, and September Easiest method: hand-pulling plants out of the ground after saturating rains Removal by any method was challenging later in the summer when rain was scarce and the ground was hardened Digging wild parsnip from hardened ground with a shovel or pick was not at all successful nor time effective

10 Restoration Spotted joe-pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum) grows sporadically along the Outlet Trail Source of nectar for the Great Spangled Fritillary, Silver-spotted Skipper, and numerous other nectivorous insects and pollinators Spotted joe-pye weed grows quickly to heights of over 6 feet and may occur in dense stands in established areas Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) serves as the larval host plant for Baltimore Checkerspot Has not been observed along the Outlet Trail Grows to heights of 3-4 feet and also grows in stands mdc.mo.gov msa.maryland.gov

11 Restoration Joe-pye weed and turtlehead seeds were germinated at Keuka College's greenhouse and at Bill Brown's residence In both locations, germination of joe-pye weed was very successful and germination of turtlehead seeds was poor Several hundred joe-pye weed plants were transplanted to the Outlet Trail in late June through early July Approximately 100 joe-pye weed plants were protected from deer and other potential predators by circular cages of page wire approximately 2.5 feet in diameter and 4 feet tall All six surviving turtlehead plants were transplanted and protected by wire cages

12 Restoration Due to lack of rain from July through September, transplanted plants were watered by hand twice a week during that time period Transplanted joe-pye weeds did not develop as quickly as wild joe-pye weeds found along parts of the trail but were vigorous nonetheless and nearly all survived through September; most of these plants are expected to emerge in the spring Turtlehead transplants did not grow well and, although all survived through September, it is doubtful that they will return in the spring Planting bare-root turtlehead plants, which were not available anywhere in the spring of 2015, might be a better method of introducing turtlehead to the trail Vandalism

13 Monitoring and Future Removal Efforts Volunteers recruited to assist with monitoring Joe-pye weed and wild parsnip along the trail for 2016 Training was held on September 24 for five volunteers A follow-up training in the late spring of 2016 Steve Knapp

14 Education and Outreach Contracted KG Graphics in Penn Yan to create two identical metal signs that describe the project Created a PDF sign of invasive plants present along the trail The Friends of the Outlet Trail were provided with a PDF of this sign for their future use Keuka College Communications office featured the Outlet Trail Project on the Keuka College web site The story was carried in the Finger Lakes Times and also featured on materials related to Keuka College's 125 year anniversary celebration Guided Outlet Trail walk on July 13, 2015 as part of NY Invasive Species Awareness Week

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