Wertheim
Invasive Species
Contents
National
Audubon Society - Invasive Species Website
The National Audubon Society created
an Invasive Species website to give you the information you need to
thoughtfully consider contributing to protect birds and wildlife in
your community and across America.
http://www.stopinvasives.org/
Wertheim NWR is #3 on the Hot Spot
list!! Incorporating input from Fish
and Wildlife Service biologists and expert bird scientists, Audubon
has identified ten wildlife refuges that represent invasive species
Hot Spots,
which represent areas where an invasive species infestation is
significant and growing, where the nation's most valuable bird and
wildlife habitat is threatened, and where America's most imperiled
bird populations are at risk.
The following excerpt is from
the
Threats to
Habitat page on the Audubon web site,
Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge,
located on the southern shore of Long Island, is home to more than
240 species of birds. Wertheim Refuge is the core federally
protected area in the Carmans River Estuary. The estuary is
recognized as an Audubon Important Bird Area in the state of New
York. The federally protected refuge is a crucial stopover for
migrating shorebirds, raptors, and songbirds.
The Invaders:
Phragmites, also known as the common reed, has infested and
degraded more than half of the refuge's valuable marshes. Thriving
in habitat disturbed by human activities, Phragmites out competes
native plants and replaces them with dense, monospecific stands
unusable as nesting and feeding sites for many bird species.
Threat to Birds:
Wertheim Refuge was established to protect migratory birds like the
American Black Duck, which is included on Audubon's nationwide
Watch List of birds of conservation concern. American Black Duck
populations have declined dramatically in recent years, mainly due
to habitat loss. On Wertheim Refuge, invasive Phragmites is
stripping the American Black Duck of the open water marshes it
needs for feeding.
Wertheim
Phragmites Report
Analysis of Historic Aerial Photographs to Assess Changes in Cover
and Distribution of Phragmites australis
at Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge, New York
April 23, 2003
Prepared for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex
by Michael S. Batcher
Ecologist and Environmental Planner 1907 Buskirk-West
Hoosick Rd. Buskirk, NY 12028
Historic aerial photographs were
evaluated for use in mapping changes in the spatial distribution of
Phagmites australis at Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge, on Long
Island, New York. The most appropriate aerial photographs were
growing season aerials taken by the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation in 1974 and 1989. These were compared
with the distribution of Phragmites australis mapped in 2000 by the
Conservation Management Institute (CMI). The CMI boundaries were
slightly adjusted based on a review of aerial photographs and an
aerial video taken in 2000 of the Refuge by NYSDEC.
In 1974, Phragmites australis covered approximately 155 acres.
Coverage of Phragmites increased to 245 acres by 1989 and 335 acres
by 2000. There were 128 patches in 1974, decreasing to 81 in 1989
and 51 in 2000 as patches coalesced. In the north portion of the
Refuge, shorelines and islands within the main river have become
dominated by Phragmites australis; while in the southern part of the
Refuge, expansion has occurred on shorelines and ditches. From 1974
to 1989 the area covered by Phagmites austalis increased
approximately six (6.0) acres per year (2.5 ha/year). This rate
increased to 8.2 acres per year (3.4 ha/year) from 1989 to 2000. The
expansion has been rapid, but comparable to other sites where
similar studies have been completed. Further work should be done to
address the relationship of Phragmites australis distribution and
expansion to salinity levels and disturbance in the Refuge.
Full Report (PDF)
Map 1. Boundary of
Phragmites australis 1974 Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge - North
Map 2. Boundary of
Phragmites australis 1974 Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge - South
Map 3. Boundary of
Phragmites australis 1989 Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge - North
Map 4. Boundary of
Phragmites australis 1989 Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge - South
Map 5. Boundary of
Phragmites australis 2000 Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge – North
Map 6. Boundary of
Phragmites australis 2000 Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge – South
Wertheim
Phragmites Management Program
Mark Maghini, Supervisory Wildlife
Biologist, and his team are actively removing Phragmites from
Wertheim via a combination of herbicide use and prescribed burning.
This is a long and difficult project (since Phragmites are extremely
difficult to eradicate). Since the Fall of 2001, important strides
have been made in Wertheim's Big Fish Creek impoundment. View the
following photos of this area over time.
September 27, 2001
July 7, 2002
August 18, 2003
Desirable native plants that have
germinated and grown in the impoundment following the herbicide/burn
management regime. A detailed photo of an improved area follows.
The waterfowl population is responding favorably to the management
program. View the following photos.
Learn More
>>>
