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Presque
Isle State Park is a seven mile sandy peninsula
that arches out into Lake Erie. The neck of the
peninsula is attached to the southern shore of Lake
Erie just four miles west of downtown Erie, PA.
It encompasses 3,200 acres of sandy beaches, dunes,
wetlands, inland ponds, thickets, marshes, and woodlands
that are home to over 60 Plant Species of Special
Concern.
Presque
Isle contains a greater number of the state’s endangered,
threatened and rare plant species than any other
area of comparable size in Pennsylvania. It is a
haven for biodiversity and a textbook example of
plant succession.
Presque
Isle Bay, Credit: James R. Hill, III
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Researchers
and botanists have studied Presque Isle’s plant
and wildlife communities for over 150 years. The
extensive research has shown that invasive plant
species have indeed invaded the delicate area.
The
term invasive plant describes plants that aggressively
compete with and displace locally adapted native
plant communities. As invasive plants establish
and expand they out-compete and replace native grasses,
sedges, and other flowering plants that provide
a higher quality source of nutrition for wildlife.
The highly invasive nature of these plants allow
them to form in such a dense manner that they restrict
native wetland plant species, including some federally
endangered species, and reduce habitat for waterfowl.
If left unchecked a wetland can eventually become
overrun with invasive plants.
Park
managers began working to resolve the problems of
invasive species in the late 80’s. Besieged by non-native
plants such as phragmites, purple loosestrife and
hybrid cattail, park managers knew that something
had to be accomplished to rid the area of the invasives.
They sought an aggressive yet safe approach that
would require expertise and hands-on involvement
to rid the park of these invasive plant species.
The
Presque Isle Partnership (Partnership) was formed
in 1994 with a mission to "preserve, protect
and enhance Presque Isle State Park". Made
up of citizen volunteers as well as volunteers from
the academic, business, and professional communities,
the Partnership would take on the daunting task
of invasive species control in efforts to prevent
the spread and eventually rid the park of invasive
plant species. The Partnership’s members offered
to oversee the invasive species project by providing
funding and volunteers to perform the on-the-ground
work. Since its incorporation in 1994, the Partnership
has accomplished several other significant achievements,
including the establishment of a nature shop at
the Stull Interpretive Environmental Center and
the organization of events such as Discover Presque
Isle, beach cleanups and environmental conferences.
Marti
Martz, a Presque Isle Partnership volunteer,
removes hybrid cattails from Presque Isle State
Park wetland, Credit: Presque Isle Partnership
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The
Partnership formed an invasive species project strategy
committee which included the park operations manager,
several park maintenance staff, a Mercyhurst College
biology professor, the director of science from
Gannon University, a botanist from the Cleveland
Museum of Natural History, a naturalist and nature
writer, several Presque Isle Advisory Committee
members, Presque Isle Partnership members, and several
other interested volunteers. The committee believed
that the diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise
would allow them to derive the best plan possible
for managing the invasive species problem on Presque
Isle.
The
committee discussed the development of an on-going
invasive species strategy and work plan for the
park. Interested community members and groups were
given the opportunity to comment on and contribute
to the invasive species plan. In particular, the
Presque Isle Audubon Society helped with healthy
dialogue that improved the process.
The
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, local colleges,
and universities offered expertise and enthusiastic
college interns and volunteers to join in the park
restoration efforts. The partnership found that
public education efforts such as displaying exhibits,
discussing field experiences, conducting workshops,
and holding an annual research symposium resulted
in volunteer and in-kind donations. Word was spreading
about the importance of controlling invasive species;
public interest and monetary donations continued
to grow.
According
to the assistant park manager, " since the
late 80’s we have invested over $200,000 in this
program." In 1994, the partnership secured
a grant of $75,000 for the control of invasive species
and began those first efforts at the park beginning
with extensive surveys, and then exhaustive work
on control methods. In October, 2003, the Presque
Isle Partnership received a Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection Growing Greener grant
for $50,000 for the Invasive Species program which
will remove invasive species from 3.5 acres of wetlands.
Volunteers were willing to spend hours working in
muddy, oozing wetlands and endure oppressive heat,
ticks, scratchy plants, and insect bites while documenting
their procedures and outcomes.
A dedicated
botanist from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
has volunteered much of his time to keeping an educated
eye on the park’s vegetation so invasive species
do not destroy Presque Isle’s marvelous biodiversity.
He expressed his alarm this past spring when he
saw that garlic mustard (Afflaria officinalis),
which is an alien species, had begun growing "like
gangbusters" at Presque Isle. "Garlic
mustard produces an oil that is much stronger than
the oil of our native mustards", he said, "and
is so strong that it kills the eggs of many insects
including the rare and beautiful West Virginia White
butterfly", which have been found in the park
on several occasions.
For
this reason it was "urgent" to get rid
of the plants. The very next day, after the park
manager learned about the endangered butterfly and
realized garlic mustard should be eradicated, people
were out in the park pulling the plants and bagging
them for disposal. This is just one of many examples
of the dedication that the Partnership members exhibit
in their efforts to protect Presque Isle from invasives.
Today, the park invasive species project is considered
a leader in resource management regarding invasives
and provides useful information for organizations
or groups interested in controlling these plants
in their communities. The park is developing a resource
file about invasive plant species and has a large
accumulation of equipment to combat this issue.
It has created a consciousness regarding the economic
and ecological threats that these plants pose.
While
there is still work to be done in ridding Presque
Isle from invasive plant species, the Partnership
members are confident that more people are now aware
of the importance of saving wetlands from these
invasives. The support of concerned individuals
and organizations has been essential. Public education
efforts have proven to be the best weapon in winning
the struggle against wetland invasives as it has
been the key to strengthening awareness and its
volunteer basis.
Mike
Mumau
Presque Isle State Park
P.O. Box 8510, Erie, PA 16505
(814) 833-7424
Email: mmumau@state.pa.us
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