by Timi Maples, PWL Member/GNP Director
Invasive species can harm the values for which land is conserved. Natural lands are not fully protected unless they also are managed for the features that first motivated preservation.
Invasive species can change community structure , composition and ecosystem processes on these lands in ways that may not be anticipated or desirable. Careful management can minimize these negative impacts.
That being said let’s talk Daucus carota… Queen Anne’s lace. Daucus carota is considered an invasive and notorious weed in many parts of the world.
Daucus carota was introduced to North America by colonists as a medicinal herb. Coming to the new world the colonists did not know what they would find in the way of medicinal plants so basically they brought their medicine chest with them. It has since naturalized itself across much of North America.
It invades open ground competing for resources with native grasses and forbs. It can be a threat to recovering grasslands and prairies where it matures faster and grows larger than many native species.
This year at the Gazebo Nature Preserve , the invasive removal team has also set our eyes on the Daucas carota, it has really become prolific along the seep. We have dug, pulled, and extracted, BUT have not sprayed along the seep for obvious reasons.
We will now resow our native forbs and continue keeping an eye out for more Queen Anne invaders next spring!
Invasive Plants website: www.na.fs.fed.us?fhp?invasive_plants