With spring comes new growth and one of the busiest periods in a land management plan. This season marks a shift from winter dormancy to active management across natural areas.
Work during this time typically includes repairing winter damage and planting new vegetation in preparation for the growing season.
As temperatures rise and daylight increases, plants begin to emerge, including aggressive invasive species. These plants compete with native vegetation for light, water, and soil nutrients. They can disrupt food webs, damage ecosystems, increase fire risks, and cause significant and costly damage to the land.
Invasive species often establish early in the growing season, making timely management essential. Identifying and controlling them at this stage helps protect native plant communities and supports the long-term health and function of the landscape.
Key Invasives To Identify
Proper and early identification is the first step in proactive invasive species management. These common invasive plant species often emerge early in the season and can shape how landscapes respond as they grow:
- Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) – Commonly seen in woodland settings, garlic mustard has dark green, kidney-shaped leaves that appear in the first year and become hairy as the plant matures. Flowers arrive in early April and have small, white, symmetrical petals. Much like its name implies, garlic mustard produces a garlic smell when the leaves are crushed.
- Common cutleaf teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus) – Teasel plants grow as a rosette the first year, then bolt to produce a single-flower stock that can reach up to 5 feet tall. Often spotted along highways and meadows, spent flowers are frequently used in dried flower arrangements.
- Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) – This perennial weed is found along roadsides and on streams or river banks. Japanese knotweed forms dense thickets that can significantly threaten the ecology of riparian areas and rapidly colonize native vegetation. It’s shrubby in appearance and emerges in early spring.
Take Control With Prescribed Burning & Drone Spraying
There are a wide variety of methods landowners or property managers can use to control invasive species, including prescribed burning and drone spraying.
Prescribed burning is most effective in large, grassy habitats such as native prairies. While a prescribed burn may look like an out-of-control fire to the untrained eye, it’s actually a well-regulated event that requires thorough planning that includes permitting, site preparation, and proper equipment.
Prescribed burns are a great option during the spring months, while native plants are still dormant, but invasive species are already turning green. With this control method, landowners and property managers can set back invasive plants without damaging native plants, while also warming the soil to encourage native growth.
Drones are cost-effective, time-cutting solutions to large-scale invasive spraying projects when paired with boots-on-the-ground spraying. With drones, pesticide applicators can reduce the crew size required for spraying, reduce soil displacement, use less equipment on-site, and increase the acreage sprayed per day, while reducing herbicide exposure and time.
Drones can also get closer to vegetation than other methods, such as helicopters, providing a more precise application and reducing the risk of windblown herbicide.
Put A Plan In Place For The Approaching Season
Invasive species management is a small piece of a larger picture. Land management plans provide a structured, actionable framework to reverse degradation, boost biodiversity, and restore ecosystem function.
A vital part of land management planning is partnering with a team that is fully invested in helping you reach your goals. Davey Resource Group (DRG) offers a full suite of services, from planning and implementation to long-term monitoring and maintenance. To learn more about invasive species control and land management plans, contact your local DRG office.
Article Contributors:
Corine Peugh, Principal Consultant, Davey Resource Group, Northern Ohio
