Death To The Invader

Monday brought another bad day for phragmites, reed canary grass and woody invasives out back in the prairie planting.    

Following a prescribed burn in May of 2020 we invited a field team from Robert E. Lee and Associates to return in late summer to perform follow-up chemical treatment.

Since then we've been on a twice a year cycle - spring and fall.    

If you're wondering why I don't just do this myself the short answer is that I probably could - but I'd be breaking the law.  Because the work is performed in a delineated wetland habitat only licensed applicators can pull a permit from Wisconsin DNR and perform the work.  You know me - I'm all about doing things on the up and up. Pulling, cutting and treating other invasives located in less sensitive locations remain my responsibility.

While crew members periodically returned to their truck to refill backpack sprayers with herbicide I chatted it-up with some of them and took the opportunity to look around the pollinator habitat in the immediate yard to see if we had any early bloomers.

Sure enough; there was Ohio spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis)

And Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)

Both of these are native perennial wildflowers.  And I missed a shot of a monarch butterfly on the plant in the photo above.  Oh well.  

You can learn more about NES Ecological Services here

Meanwhile, Death To The Invaders!