cape ivy removal

We diligently work to rid the Reserve of cape ivy.

This burrito roll is close to being ready to roll around, back and forth for the next year, decomposing and being dead. Underneath are native blackberry sprouts and we also saw a lupin seedling. What a place! Hemlock is making it's home here too, but I'm not too put off. This particular site is rich with native plants and I think they'll put up a good fight, especially with a little help from their friends.

continuing cape ivy removal at the Jazwin property

Manually removing cape ivy is a long and slow process, but is working beautifully at the Jazwin property. It's about persistence. I visit once a month to continue where I left off. Above is the first removal site. This was the first time no cape ivy sprouts were found!

What I did find were lots of these native blackberry (Rubus ursinus) sprouts.

The burrito roll is completely dead after one year and decomposing.

At the second site, I've got the entire patch almost rolled up into one long burrito. I'll need some help in the future rolling this over so it doesn't resprout.

The last patch that I need to remove is enormous. It's one acre and grows basically into the marsh. Here it is intertangled with pickleweed.

cape ivy at the old Jazwin property

The cape ivy burrito rolls are decomposing nicely. They weigh about 1/8 of what they used to weigh. One or two green stems grow out of them. I pulled those green stems and rolled the burritos a turn or two. Eight months after first pulling and rolling and I think this will do it.

Work on the second patch continues. I roll the edges inward and take out any ivy beyond the borders. For only a few hours a month, the progress is tremendous.

As I was working I scared up an alligator lizard, uncovered a sleeping bumblebee, and pulled up multiple abandoned small mammal nests.

Jazwin cape ivy project

I've just returned from my monthly cape ivy removal project at our Jazwin property. Last month I manually removed a large patch of ivy by rolling it into large burritos. Those are decomposing nicely. It took me 45 minutes to sweep through and pull any resprouts. I got about half a bag for the entire site. Wood mint, blackberry, and wild cucumber are happily taking the place of the ivy; along with some hemlock and italian thistle.

Then I started on the next largest patch, pulling the edges inward toward itself. I took the growth from off the trees and dead hemlock stalks. Here's a case of one weed facilitating another to spread. Hemlock stalks remain after they die and the ivy loves to climb along and get to it's next destination by way of hemlock stalk.

I feel that these smaller patches are extremely manageable by hand. On the site are 4 small patches (@ 30m x 30m) and one large patch 4 times the size of the others. I'll return monthly, hopefully with volunteers (although lots of poison oak is present) and be consistent and thorough. In the end, I have no doubt that the ivy will be eradicated.

Monterey Salamander

This little amphibian showed up as I was pulling cape ivy from one of our newer properties, Jazwin. It's a Monterey salamander (Ensatina eschscholtzii eschscholtzii). It was under a rotting oak branch. Those large black eyes are beautiful.

The cape ivy was a challenge but oh so gratifying to pull. I started just trying to get the vines out of the trees, then three hours later I had removed a pretty large patch. I rolled the ivy into giant burrito-like rolls.

I respect this plant because of its adaptations to survive, but I really love ripping it out of the ground and off the trees.