Protecting Sierra Tree Mortality Zones

Yosemite invasive plant management staff treat Himalayan blackberry in Yosemite Valley below El Capitan, Yosemite National Park.

Cal-IPC, in cooperation with the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture and county Agricultural Commissioners in the Central Sierra, is working to control invasive plants that threaten to spread into areas with extensive tree mortality. Drought conditions have enabled native bark beetles to kill millions of trees in the region, making it more important than ever to control invasive plant populations which can spread into disturbed areas (more information on tree mortality in the Sierra).

To support prioritization of particular species and populations for control, Cal-IPC has integrated spatial data on tree mortality from Calfire into the online CalWeedMapper tool. Regional partners from the Central Sierra, including the Sierra, Sequoia, Stanislaus and Eldorado National Forests, Yosemite and Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks, and county agencies are collaborating to address the top priority invasive plant populations.

Additionally, this project will make available best practices education for preventing the spread of invasive plants in tree mortality zones by making BMP materials widely available and assisting local partners with training needs

Plants being managed

Start date

2017

Location

Central Sierra and Sierra San Joaquin Project map in Calflora Cal-IPCregions_CentralSierra-SanJoaquin

Resources protected

forest health, tree mortality hazard zones, native vegetation communities, wildlife habitat, sensitive plant and wildlife species, native biodiversity

Project goal

Containment of key populations of high-priority invasive plant species in the Central Sierra to prevent spread into areas disturbed by extensive tree mortality.

Project partners

Project funders

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Project photos

Treating mullein and Himalayan blackberry in Poopenaut Valley along the Tuolumne River, Yosemite National Park.
Invasive plant management staff treat mullein and Himalayan blackberry in Poopenaut Valley along the Tuolumne River, Yosemite National Park. Photo: National Park Service
Treating Italian thistle and yellow star thistle along North Fork Merced River, Mother Lode District. Photo: Bureau of Land Management
Stacking and piling dead conifers in Yosemite National Park_saw
Cutting dead conifers to prepare for chipping in Yosemite National Park. Photo: National Park Service
Stacking and piling dead conifers in Yosemite National Park
Stacking and piling dead conifers in Yosemite National Park. Photo: National Park Service
Woodchips from dead conifers in Yosemite National Park. Photo: National Park Service
Burning debris piles in Bridalveil Meadow, Yosemite National Park
Burning debris piles in Bridalveil Meadow, Yosemite National Park. Photo: National Park Service