Appendix
Best Practices for Noxious Weeds and Invasive Species Management
A. Definitions
Noxious Weeds: Defined by ORC 901:5-37-01 and by the Federal Plant Protection act as “any plant or plant product that can directly or indirectly injure or cause damage to crops (including nursery stock or plant products), livestock, poultry or other interests of agriculture, irrigation, navigation, the natural resources of the United States, the public health, or the environment.”
Invasive Plant Species: Defined by the USDA as “a plant that is both non-native and able to establish on many sites, grow quickly, and spread to the point of disrupting plant communities or ecosystems.” This is further defined by the Ohio Nursery Landscape Association as “plant species that are not native to Ohio whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health as determined by scientific studies.”
B. Recommended Removal Practices
To protect the health and safety of its citizens, particularly its children, and our natural resources and wildlife, the Village of Yellow Springs has placed a moratorium on the use of pesticides and herbicides on all Village owned land.
The following examples demonstrate a few ways in which mechanical removal of noxious weeds and invasive species can be achieved. Having the right tools and understanding the nature of the plant and its life cycle is foundational to successful management.
It is understood that there will be a vast range of scale and quantity of vegetation that individual residents will be confronted with. This appendix serves as an introduction and a starting point for the education of Yellow Springs residents on this topic.
The hope is that by stepping back and understanding how a system works we will become more adept at tackling the problem before reaching for the toxic synthetic chemicals as the first line of attack. By planting beneficial plants, we create habitat that supports our native wildlife.
For additional information and to learn more about environmentally safe ways for mitigating invasive species and noxious weeds, please contact the Village Offices. In addition, we have helpful resources to share with residents on recommendations for native plants that can be used in their back yards.
To review the ordinance or to see the images of the best removal practices a little more in detail you can do that here.
HONEYSUCKLE POPPER
A strong and simple leverage tool to use for the removal of undesirable bushes and shrubs up to 12-15 years old. Slide the steel tip under the roots and lift the shrub out. (eg : Honeysuckle, Barberry, Russian Olive, Burning Bush, etc)
JAPANESE PRUNING SAW
Can be used to saw shrubs, smaller invasive trees to the ground. With this technique new shoots will form as the plant needs leaves to photosynthesize in order to survive. By keeping vigilant and continuing to remove these shoots you are disturbing a natural growth cycle and eventually the plant being unable to photosynthesize will die.
HORI-HORI aka SOIL KNIFE
An indispensable tool for weeding and planting. Most weeds can be pulled out of the ground especially when the soil is wet. For those roots that may be a bit more stubborn you can use this as a leverage to help lift the roots up out of the ground. For example to remove Common Ragweed, Poison Hemlock, Dame’s Rocket, Porcelain Berry Vine (when young), Purple Loosestrife etc. This technique is only weeds that do not have the propensity to form new plants from little segments of root left in the ground (eg: Canada Thistle which is addressed in the next illustration.
PRUNING SHEARS
This tool is great for cutting back the new shoots that emerge from previously sawn stumps (page 3). (For larger shoots use a Pruning Lopper Page 6) Pruning Shears can be used on colonies of Canada Thistle that pop up in your flower beds and prevent remnants of the weed’s roots form forming new plants. Allow the Canada Thistle to grow up in spring until they are large but not yet flowering then take your shears and snip the thistle right at its base. Allow the second round of growth and repeat the same. By breaking a plants life cycle the plant will become weaker and eventually die. For large expanses you can of course use a mower to reclaim an area for future planting.
DUTCH GARDEN HOE
Many noxious weeds eg: Common Ragweed can be eliminated early on through regular hoeing. This tool is really handy for working in between plantings. The weeds are decapitated and can be left as mulch to dry out in the sun. It makes quick work of weeding and is easy on the knees as you operate this tool while standing.
WHEN IN DOUBT
Call in an expert. Understanding when a task may be too big and or dangerous to deal with yourself. For example mature trees of Ailanthus, Callery Pear and Norway Maple. In addition it is important to consider a gradual replacement plan to bring in beneficial native species and/or a sustainable way to prevent further invasives and noxious weeds from taking hold.
C. Alternatives for Invasive Plants in Ohio
If the following list of Invasive Species and their Alternatives does not load for you, you can also view it in full here.
D. Complete lists of Noxious Weeds and Invasive Species
Noxious Weeds that have been identified by the Ohio Department of Agriculture:
Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Common Ragweed
Ambrosia trifida, Giant Ragweed (also known locally as Horseweed)
Cirsium arvense, Canada Thistle
Toxicodendron radicans, Poison Ivy
Lythrum salicaria, Purple Loosestrife
Ailanthus altissima, Tree of Heaven
Ficaria verna, Lesser Celandine
Polygonum cuspidatum, Japanese Knotweed
Sorghum bicolor, Shatter Cane
Salsola Kali var. tenuifolia, Russian Thistle
Sorghum halepense, Johnsongrass
Pastinaca sativa, Wild Parsnip
Vitis spp., Grapevines (when growing in groups of one hundred or more and not pruned, sprayed, cultivated, or otherwise maintained for two consecutive years)
Conium maculatum, Poison Hemlock
Senecio glabellus, Cressleaf Groundsel
Carduus nutans, Musk Thistle
Polygonum perfoliatum, Mile-A-Minute Weed
Heracleum mantegazzianum, Giant Hogweed
Nicandra physalodes, Apple of Peru
Conyza Canadensis, Marestail
Bassia scoparia, Kochia
Amaranthus palmeri, Palmer Amaranth
Pueraria montana var. lobata, Kudzu
Phyllostachys aureasculata, Yellow Groove Bamboo, (when the plant has spread from its original premise of planting and is not being maintained.)
Convolvulus arvensis, Field Bindweed
Lepidium draba sub. draba, Heart-Podded Hoary Cress
Lepidium appelianum, Hairy Whitetop or Ballcress
Sonchus arvensis, Perennial Sowthistle
Acroptilon repens, Russian Knapweed
Euphorbia esula, Leafy Spurge
Calystegia sepium, Hedge Bindweed
Sorghum x almum, Columbus Grass
Bassia prostrata, Forage Kochia
Amaranthus tuberculatus, Water Hemp
Nassella trichotoma, Serrated Tussock
Invasive Species that have been identified by the Ohio Department of Agriculture:
Ailanthus altissima, Tree-Of-Heaven
Berberis vulgaris, Common Barberry
Butomus umbellatus, Flowering Rush
Centaurea stoebe ssp. Micranthos, spotted Knapweed
Dipsacus laciniatus, Cutleaf Teasel
Egeria densa, Brazilian Elodea
Euonymous elata, Burning Bush
Epilobium hirsutum, Hairy Willow Herb
Frangula alnus, Glossy Buckthorn
Heracleum mantegazzianum, Giant Hogweed
Hesperis matronalis, Dame's Rocket
Hydrilla verticillata, Hydrilla
Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, European Frog-Bit
Lythrum salicaria, Purple Loosestrife
Lythrum virgatum, European Wand Loosestrife
Microstegium vimineum, Japanese Stiltgrass
Myriophyllum aquaticum, Parrotfeather
Nymphoides peltata, Yellow Floating Heart
Potamogeton crispus, Curly-Leaved Pondweed
Pueraria montana var. lobate, Kudzu
Pyrus calleryana, Callery Pear
Ranunculus ficaria, Fig Buttercup/Lesser Celandine
Trapa natans, Water Chestnut
Typha angustifolia, Narrow-Leaved Cattail
Typha x glauca, Hybrid Cattail
Vincetoxicum nigrum, Black Dog-Strangling Vine, Black Swallowwort
Ampelopsis bervipendulata, Porcelain Berry Vine
Lonicera maackii, L. tatarica, L. morrowii, Bush Honeysuckles
Euonymus fortunei, Wintercreeper
Lonicera japonica, Japanese Honeysuckle
Dipsacus fullonum, D. laciniatus, Common & Cut-leaved Teasel
Melilotus alba, M. officinalis, White & Yellow Sweet-clovers
Elaeagnus umbellata, E. angustifolia, Autumn-Olive, Russian-Olive
Rhamnus frangula, R. cathartica, Buckthorns
Phragmites australis, Common Reed or Phragmites
Phalaris arundinacea, Reed Canary Grass
Bromus inermis, Smooth Brome
Myriophyllum spicatum, Eurasian Water-milfoil
Alliaria petiolata, Garlic Mustard
Rosa multiflora, Multiflora Rose
Acer platanoides, Norway maple
Celastrus orbiculatus, Asian bittersweet
Ficaria verna, Lesser Celandine, Fig Buttercup
Ligustrum vulgare, Common Privet