Today I spent many hours pulling veldtgrass (Ehrharta erecta) from one of our oak woodlands. This grass is originally from South Africa and makes thick mats that prevent other species from growing. It reproduces both from seed and vegetatively.
Surprise! the veldtgrass is growing right below Elkhorn Rd. where a large population of E. erecta is happily thriving. In the woodland, it is spreading in areas where animals pass through.
At this stage, the grass is dropping or has already dropped seed. I've been pulling here for months. Why am I pulling since it disturbs the soil and brings up more seed? The land manager before me kept copious and detailed notes about her activities with all the weeds on the Reserve, including this patch of veldtgrass. Her recommendation after years of spraying is to pull - if the patch is small enough to manage. Being the optimist that I am, I assume this patch is small enough to manage. I give myself five years.
Other items that come down the hill from the road into the oak woodland . . .
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