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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Lauderdale, Florida » Invasive Plant Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #188335
Title: "T.A.M.E." MELALEUCA: A REGIONAL APPROACH FOR SUPPRESSING ONE OF FLORIDA'S WORST WEEDS.

Author
item Silvers, Cressida
item Pratt, Paul
item FERRITER, AMY - BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY
item Center, Ted

Submitted to: Journal of Aquatic Plant Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2006
Publication Date: 1/15/2007
Citation: Silvers, C.S., Pratt, P.D., Ferriter, A.P., Center, T.D. 2007. "T.A.M.E." melaleuca: a regional approach for suppressing one of Florida's worst weeds. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management. 45:1-7.

Interpretive Summary: The adventive Australian tree Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T. Blake is extremely invasive in the greater Everglades region of Florida. Public agencies and organizations responsible for natural areas management have developed effective chemical and mechanical strategies for treating infestations, but these methods can be costly and labor intensive. Meanwhile, infestations on many privately held or otherwise inaccessible lands remain unmanaged. A successful Melaleuca biological control program has been developed to complement conventional removal tactics that reduces reproduction and growth of the tree and functions in unmanaged infestations. But the full impacts of the biological control program will only be realized after land owners and managers become familiar with its benefits. An areawide pest management project for Melaleuca was initiated in 2001 with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) to promote regional implementation of biological control as the basis for integrated management. Modeled after other successful areawide projects, principal components of the project include high stakeholder participation, treatment demonstration sites and assessments, Melaleuca distribution surveys, socio-economic assessments of Melaleuca invasion and management, and transfer of technology and information to professional land managers and private land owners.

Technical Abstract: The adventive Australian tree Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T. Blake is extremely invasive in the greater Everglades region of Florida. Public agencies and organizations responsible for natural areas management have developed effective chemical and mechanical strategies for treating infestations, but these methods can be costly and labor intensive. Meanwhile, infestations on many privately held or otherwise inaccessible lands remain unmanaged. A successful Melaleuca biological control program has been developed to complement conventional removal tactics that reduces reproduction and growth of the tree and functions in unmanaged infestations. But the full impacts of the biological control program will only be realized after land owners and managers become familiar with its benefits. An areawide pest management project for Melaleuca was initiated in 2001 with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) to promote regional implementation of biological control as the basis for integrated management. Modeled after other successful areawide projects, principal components of the project include high stakeholder participation, treatment demonstration sites and assessments, Melaleuca distribution surveys, socio-economic assessments of Melaleuca invasion and management, and transfer of technology and information to professional land managers and private land owners.