False Brome Invasive Activity in Oak Creek Watershed
Introduction The intent of this document is to observe and characterize the activity of Brachypodium Sylvaticum (False Brome) as a noxious weed at Oak Creek watershed near Corvallis, Oregon. False Brome is a slender, drooping bladed, perennial bunch grass that is native to Europe and North Africa. It was first introduced to Oregon in the 1930’s and by some estimates, it has spread over 10,000 acres in Oregon—specifically in Western Oregon: Linn and Benton counties. By the 1990’s False Brome was established as an invasive species in Oregon; today, False Brome can be found in Northern California and the San Francisco Bay area. (1) Figure 1: False Brome (2) False Brome is a dominating invasive species (class B noxious weed) greatly affecting western Oregon. The grass has incredibly high shade tolerance but also thrives in full sun and it is a hearty weed that can easily adapt to dry or wet conditions. False brome is likely to appear in areas post disturbance—like after flooding, in recently excavated land, or on clear cut sites. The grass can …show more content…
Oak Creek watershed will continue to see False Brome—though possibly less densely if management continues in the area. Herbicide use, root pulling, and seeding with native species will all be required to cut down on False Brome density; this does not mean that False Brome will cease to invade post management. Without management False Brome could also spread to surrounding livestock ranges forcing expensive management operations to restore the land for grazing. Outside of the Oak Creek area, timberland seedlings could be snuffed out post harvesting disturbances resulting in large losses in revenue. Finally, wildlife relying on native species for food and shelter would be
Introduction The intent of this document is to observe and characterize the activity of Brachypodium Sylvaticum (False Brome) as a noxious weed at Oak Creek watershed near Corvallis, Oregon. False Brome is a slender, drooping bladed, perennial bunch grass that is native to Europe and North Africa. It was first introduced to Oregon in the 1930’s and by some estimates, it has spread over 10,000 acres in Oregon—specifically in Western Oregon: Linn and Benton counties. By the 1990’s False Brome was established as an invasive species in Oregon; today, False Brome can be found in Northern California and the San Francisco Bay area. (1) Figure 1: False Brome (2) False Brome is a dominating invasive species (class B noxious weed) greatly affecting western Oregon. The grass has incredibly high shade tolerance but also thrives in full sun and it is a hearty weed that can easily adapt to dry or wet conditions. False brome is likely to appear in areas post disturbance—like after flooding, in recently excavated land, or on clear cut sites. The grass can …show more content…
Oak Creek watershed will continue to see False Brome—though possibly less densely if management continues in the area. Herbicide use, root pulling, and seeding with native species will all be required to cut down on False Brome density; this does not mean that False Brome will cease to invade post management. Without management False Brome could also spread to surrounding livestock ranges forcing expensive management operations to restore the land for grazing. Outside of the Oak Creek area, timberland seedlings could be snuffed out post harvesting disturbances resulting in large losses in revenue. Finally, wildlife relying on native species for food and shelter would be