by Emma Jack, PhD - Nov. 2009
The AEP event “ Taking on Weeds as Part of Environmental Protection and Restoration – the story of invasive Spartina in the San Francisco estuary” brought together a mix of biologists and engineers for an evening of presentations from The Spartina Project’s Director Peggy Olofson, and Monitoring Manager Ingrid Hogle.
The Spartina Project addresses problems resulting from the increasing plant hybrids between the invasive cordgrass Spartina alterniflora, and the native version, Spartina folisoa occurring in the Bay ecosystem. These hybrids spread aggressively into open mud, displacing native species, hindering flood control, navigation, and other uses of this habitat type.
Peggy Olofson, the Director of the Project, provided some great background information as to the importance of hybrid eradication for the biological diversity of the Bay ecosystem, and how she has managed to cobble together sufficient funding to ensure the Project continues in these dark economic times. An amazing feat, and the AEP takes its hat off to her! Ingrid Hogle, the Monitoring Program Manager, discussed the streamlining of the GPS to GIS workflows for the inventory and mapping of the invasive plants in all marshes and mudflats in the Bay Area. The Spartina team monitors the presence of the invasive plants in the marsh by caneo, helicopter and by foot, certainly an exciting job for any environmental professional. I encourage you to check out their website for more information as to what the Project is up to and how you can help them to reclaim the San Francisco Bay from the clutches of the hybrid. http://www.spartina.org/
Many thanks to Barry Pearl who kindly organized for us to hold the event in the PUC building in down town San Francisco.
Tags: Estuary, Invasive Species, Restoration, Spartina, Spartina Project
