April 12, 2006

PdC City Council searching for Sixth District representative

A regular meeting of the Prairie du Chien City Council was held last evening with many public hearings and resolutions filling up the agenda. This meeting also marked the end of terms for council members Dennis White, Ted Scheckler, Bonnie Homuth and Dale Boldt.

A public hearing was held to discuss a resolution to vacate parts of the alley in Block 43 of Union Plat for the building of Walgreens. City Planner Garth Frable thanked all the property owners on that block for their cooperation during this time of planning and reconstruction. No citizens voiced concern during the public hearing. The resolution was then passed, allowing the city to move ahead with the abandonment.

A public hearing was also held on a resolution to vacate Miller Street in Lot 8 in Block 65 of Union Plat. This would be the portion of the street between the alley and the railroad. This subject was lightly debated by the alders and again, no members of the public spoke. This resolution was then also passed.

The City Council planned last evening to prepare a report on the construction of sidewalks on both sides of Dousman Street from East Blackhawk Ave. to East Dunn Street. City Administrator Gordon Gallagher said that an informational meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 25 at 3 p.m. on the issue. Notices will also be sent to all people living on Dousman.

A public hearing to act on the resolution will be held at the next scheduled city council meeting on May 2.

Another preliminary resolution was discussed on the assessment to bring sewer and water to the east side of Prairie du Chien. According to city officials, this would be the first step in developing more property within the city.

The council accepted the resignation of Jacqueline Kittle and announced that anyone living in the 6th District in Prairie du Chien is eligible to fill the position. The term runs from now until next April. Anyone interested in the position should contact Mayor Cheryl Mader at 326-6406.

Garlic mustard a growing problem in area parks

Garlic mustard sounds like something from out of a B-grade horror film: It¹s green, smelly, hard to kill, and it takes over everything. Unfortunately, this destructive, invasive plant isn¹t something out of science fiction ‹ it is a very troublesome reality. The plant, which often remains green even during the winter, is easy to spot now in woodland early spring leaf litter.

Rodney Rovang, Resource Manager at Effigy Mounds National Monument, has been dealing with garlic mustard for about ten years now, since the plant first appeared within the park¹s boundaries. In the early days of battling the plant, Rovang described how he pulled some plants out by the roots and left them lay on the ground. When he walked by them a week or so later, he noticed how the plants had not died, but instead had turned their leaves up toward the sun and had even flowered! "You know, when I saw that, I knew we were in for a battle," Rovang said.

The primary problem with garlic mustard is that it is so aggressive it can dominate the forest floor and out-compete native plants. That means that native woodland wildflowers and ferns are eliminated in areas were garlic mustard is allowed to take hold,because it can completely cover the ground. Rovang says that recent research on the plant also indicates that it releases toxins into the soil to help eliminate competition, similar to black walnut trees. The plant grows in shady areas, and is a prolific seed producer. Even after live plants are pulled or killed, the seed can remain viable in the soil for about five years.

Garlic mustard was brought to the U.S. by European immigrants during early settlement as a cooking and medicinal herb. It has a strong garlicky smell and flavor. The plant has invaded Eastern forests and is marching west. It is now present in at least 28 counties in Wisconsin, and many eastern Iowa counties. "This stuff spreads like it has legs," Rovang explained.

Garlic mustard costs a lot of money to control, because it is very labor intensive to remove. The plant can be controlled by hand pulling when it occurs in small patches. When it covers larger areas, plants must be burned or sprayed with herbicides. Rovang says that during the spring and fall his staff conduct controlled burns to help keep the plant in check. Garlic mustard can stay green year 'round, so it is easy to see in spring and fall in the brown leaf litter. Spring and fall burning also helps reduce damage to native plants, which are not growing during those periods. It also helps to have enough fuel with leaves and twigs to create a fire hot enough to completely consume the plants. Rovang says that burns are often conducted when the soil is damp after a rain, and are carefully orchestrated to reduce the risk of wildfires.

While fire and hand-pulling can work, Rovang says that spraying a mild solution of herbicide is perhaps the most effective means of controlling the plant for his crews. Spraying is done in spring and fall also, again to reduce the risk of damaging native plants.

Even with all of the flames and poisons aimed at it, garlic mustard is winning the war. Rovang says it is simply not cost effective to fight it in remote areas, where staff must spend an hour or more hiking in with equipment. So most efforts occur along trails and accessible areas, where people can readily get at the stuff.

As a result, Rovang estimates that about one-third of the park¹s 2,500 acres have garlic mustard patches. If you could put all of the patches together, he thinks it might amount to about 25 acres total.

There is no dedicated budget funds in the Effigy Mounds coffers for garlic mustard. Dollars needed to fight the plant come from a National Park Service pool of funds that Rovang must apply for annually. Last year was a good year; Rovang received about $22,000. But that money was for fighting all invasive species in the park, including buckthorn and honeysuckle, not just garlic mustard. The money was spent on equipment and supplies and five temporary seasonal employees. This year, Rovang says he will have much fewer dollars to battle it.

The plant is as big a problem in other area parks, such as Wyalusing State Park. Often state parks have even fewer resources to battle the plant, and must rely on volunteers for help. Brian Hefty, superintendent at Wyalusing, has no estimate of how much area garlic mustard covers in his park.

Help may be on the horizon. U.S. and European scientists have been working for several years to try and identify an insect pest for the plant that would be safe to import, (Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, July-Aug. 2004). In a test of 69 insect pests, four appear to feed on garlic mustard exclusively, and are undergoing more testing to be sure they will not damage native plants or cash crops. Rovang says he attended a meeting in Minneapolis last year where officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey were discussing this research; they indicated that it would still be a year or more before any insects could be imported.

A similar method was used to help control the invasive wetland plant, purple loosestrife. A beetle which feeds on the plant was imported about 10 years ago, and since has made a significant dent in populations of the plant. Rovang says that such biological controls are the only thing that can really slow the spread of garlic mustard. "With a plant that can double its populations every two years, its the only way we can keep up," Rovang concluded.