The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 15 No. 19 - March 4, 2015

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Cleaning up Sister Keys

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Credit

Members of the Suncoast CISMA work group are, top left, Ray Vinson,
Joe Howard and Damon Moore and bottom left, Michael Elswick
and Tess Busch and Sarasota Bay Watch Board member Larry Stults.

On Saturday Feb. 21, Sarasota Bay Watch members Larry Stults and I helped expedite an invasive flora cleanup at the Sister Keys off Longboat Key. The work was done by members of the Suncoast Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area group (CISMA) whose mission is "to address the threat to native diversity within the Suncoast CISMA by coordinating and increasing efforts to eliminate or reduce invasive, non-native plants and animals across public and private boundaries."

The Suncoast CISMA is primarily composed of interagency personnel involved in land management, but also a contingent of volunteers from Pinellas, Manatee, Hillsboro and Sarasota counties.

In addition to eradication of invasive species, the group also lobbies and is involved in education through community outreach. They like to partner with groups that manage environmentally sensitive areas. The organization also has meetings and speakers that discuss these issues including fauna like feral cats and coyotes.

Sarasota Bay Watch partnered with the town of Longboat Key to adopt the Sister Keys and help with control and enhancement of the area. Members of the Suncoast CISMA present Saturday represented Sarasota County, Manatee County, and the Little Manatee River State Park. Mick Elswick, president of the group, works for Manatee County in ecological resources and also is involved in permitting marine reefs. He comes from an upland land management background. Damon Moore, also from Manatee County, works as environmental program manager for ecological resources.

Ray Vinson, from Sarasota County, works for the parks recreation and natural resources department. His expertise is prescribed burns. Joe Howard, manager for The Little Manatee River State Park, was also on hand and assisted by Tess Busch, who works at the park as an AmeriCorps intern.

After introductions, members of the group headed to the islands by boat. Stults brought his boat to help transport personnel. Elswick and Moore brought a work boat from Manatee County equipped with machetes, clippers and a supply of garlon, a herbicide that is necessary to prevent regrowth of the invasive plants.

On smaller specimens the workers cut the invasive plants and treated the stump with the herbicide. On larger specimens, they would spray the base of the plant. The process is known as basal bark treatment, and the spray must completely encircle the trunk to be effective. They were also careful to make sure the cut plants did not make contact with the soil as they could potentially re-root.

Moore pointed out a number of invasive species, including an Australian pine that was growing right next to small natives such as spotted bee balm and sea grape. Unfortunately, the invasive species, if not controlled, grow faster and will out-compete the natives.

When treated with herbicide, it takes about a week for the plant to yellow and a month for it to die. By far the most numerous invasive was the Brazilian pepper, followed by Australian pines and a mix of five or six other species including mahoe, carrot wood and Chinese tallow.

I was surprised at the numbers of peppers that were present. The islands were planted with natives in 2007 and the contractor was responsible for controlling invasive species for five years. That meant that the invasive plants that were present had regrown in just three years. It pointed out the need to keep a vigilant eye on the Sister Keys lest the invasive species once again gain a prominent foothold on the uplands.

During Saturday's event the participants were able to cover an estimated 80 percent of the islands. Today the Sister Keys are in a much more natural condition thanks to the help of the Suncoast CISMA group.

If you are interested in finding out more about their work or volunteering, check out their Website at www.floridainvasives.org/cismas.html. You can learn more about Sarasota Bay Watch at www.sarasotabaywatch.org.


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