INVASIVE SPECIES REPORT by Mark Skinner

There is a weed removal initiative underway called the South Central Coast Invasive Species Eradication Project. Funded by the Wildlife Conservation Board and matching partners the $600K project joins CalIPC with multiple partners in a merged region of San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County with help from the Weed Management Area of San Luis Obispo County. This effort is targeting weeds with a realistic chance of eradicating 95% of their populations in five years.

The weeds selected for removal include:

  • Limonium ramosissimum – Algerian sea lavender
  • Limonium duriusculum – European sea lavender
  • Elymus farctus ssp. boreali-atlantucus – Russian wheatgrass
  • Cirsium arvense – Canada thistle
  • Linaria dalmatica ssp. dalmatica – Dalmation toadflax

The sea lavenders are at threat to Cordlylanthus maritimus ssp. maritimus – salt marsh bird’s beak and Suaeda californica -California seablite. They have appeared along the boardwalk in Morro Bay State Park In the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes. Russian wheatgrass can take over areas that are habitat for Atriplex leucophylla – Saltbush, Beach-Bur, Red Sand-Verbena and Dunedelion.

The agencies eradicating the weeds will track their progress through CalWeedMapper that CalIPC arranged. Partners will meet annually to report on progress.