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GREATjU RIVERlRIPW GREENING invasive species that are in a susceptible life stage. Fire can be used as a tool to facilitate herbicide treatments by removing thatch either in preparation for herbicide treatment or as a follow-up to herbicide treatment. Fire can also be used to remove thatch or litter in preparation for seeding or interseeding. Chemical: The herbicide product, herbicide formulation, timing of application, site conditions, target species, and proximity to non -target species must all be factored in when designing an herbicide treatment plan. A range of herbicide products are available to use selectively for specific restoration applications. Herbicide treatments can be broadcast or spot treatments depending on the density of the target species and the composition and density of the surrounding desirable species. Herbicides can be applied by a variety of different methods, including foliar, basal bark, or cut stem treatments. Herbicides for selective or broad spectrum applications can be chosen to either fine tune a response or to treat large contiguous areas of invasive or weed species. Biological Control: Biological control agents are available for a handful of invasive species. Leafy spurge and purple loosestrife may be potential candidates for treatment with biological control agents. At applicable sites, the density and extent of the species need to be enough to sustain a population of biological control agents. Biological control will not typically eliminate an invasive species, but rather, is more likely to reduce populations to tolerable levels at which the native plant community can also express itself. Cultural Control: Preventing new invasions plays a role in habitat management as well. There are several best practices that can minimize the potential of invasive species to establish. In general, maintaining a stable, healthy and diverse plant community in forest, prairie, and wetland ecosystems will be one key to preventing invasions. Human caused disturbances, such as uncontrolled foot traffic that kills vegetation or causes compaction or high water levels that drown native vegetation, are examples of disturbances that create conditions that favor invasive species. It is likely that impacts from foot traffic can be mitigated by redirecting and managing traffic flow patterns. On the other hand, high water levels caused by runoff from surrounding impervious surfaces is not a condition that can likely be resolved easily, if at all. To prevent or limit introductions of invasive species on public lands, the Minnesota DNR has implemented Operational Order 113, 'Come Clean, Leave Clean'. Many of these common sense protocols can be used in the setting of an urban park reserve as well. httD://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/dnrlands.html Recommendations for management treatments to control invasive species outlined below. Timing maps were derived from the guidelines in the MN DOT Noxious Weed Document found here - http://www.dot.state.mn.us/roadsides/vegetation/pdf/noxiousweeds.pdf