Presque Isle State Park To Reopen After Invasive Species Spraying
By: Jill Perkins
Updated: October 12, 2012
A helicopter flew over Presque Isle State Park today applying herbicide to 170 acres of land that is inundated with the invasive plant species Narrow-leaf Cattail and Phragmite. The presence of these plants is damaging to the native plants as well as the overall habitat and ecosystem health on the park.
This
work is being done as part of an inclusive project to remove invasive plants
from Presque Isle. Over the summer, park
interns and staff members worked to push back invasive plants on over 450 acres
of park land. They pushed back the
plants by pulling, digging, cutting, or treating them with herbicide. The largest areas of infested areas can't be
controlled effectively by people on the ground, so the helicopter will assist
with the application of herbicide in these areas.
All of the chemicals utilized in this treatment process are labeled for aquatic use, meaning they have been tested in aquatic environment and pose little to no risk to aquatic species. All of the treatment areas have been permitted for the application of herbicide by the PA Fish and Boat Commission as well as the PA Department of Environmental Protection.
