RESTORATION APPROACHES
HERBICIDE-FREE WEED MANAGEMENT
Did you know that the canyon wasn’t always so picturesque? Before it was a haven for native flora and fauna, much of the canyon was overgrown with noxious invasive species like English Ivy and Himalayan Blackberry. Only due to intense management efforts is Reed’s canyon the beautiful sanctuary for wildlife it is now.
When the canyon first got its overhaul, the use of herbicide was included in Reed’s non-native species management plan. However, due to community concerns about herbicide safety, Reed Grounds Manager Zac Perry stopped using any pesticides in the canyon, opting instead for non-chemical methods of management.
This has meant a lot of manual labor. Students are hired every year to help maintain the canyon, and part of the job is pulling out weeds. This is much gentler to the neighboring plants, and in wetland areas where pesticides would wash directly into Reed lake’s pristine water, it’s the only option.
When the canyon first got its overhaul, the use of herbicide was included in Reed’s non-native species management plan. However, due to community concerns about herbicide safety, Reed Grounds Manager Zac Perry stopped using any pesticides in the canyon, opting instead for non-chemical methods of management.
This has meant a lot of manual labor. Students are hired every year to help maintain the canyon, and part of the job is pulling out weeds. This is much gentler to the neighboring plants, and in wetland areas where pesticides would wash directly into Reed lake’s pristine water, it’s the only option.
In addition to pulling weeds, invasive plants have been managed at Reed simply by making the canyon less hospitable to them. By planting native plants and helping them through practices like mulching, harmful non-native species can be outcompeted by well-supported native ones.
Normally, a restoration project at the scale of Reed’s canyon can only be done with great help from pesticide. Thanks to hard work and a lot of creativity, the canyon is fighting off its invasive plants chemical free, helping maintain a safe and healthy environment for all its inhabitants.
Normally, a restoration project at the scale of Reed’s canyon can only be done with great help from pesticide. Thanks to hard work and a lot of creativity, the canyon is fighting off its invasive plants chemical free, helping maintain a safe and healthy environment for all its inhabitants.
Works Cited
C, Rachel. “What Does Canyon Crew Do.” Reed College Canyon Blog, 22 July 2011, blogs.reed.edu/reed_canyon/2011/07/what-does-canyon-crew-do/. Accessed 6 Sept. 2021.
Henderson, Hayden. “Reed's Pesticide Use Down to One Gallon Per Year.” The Reed College Quest, 27 Sept. 2019, reedquest.org/articles/2019/9/27/reeds-pesticide-use-down-to-one-gallon-per-year?rq=canyon.
Lam, Clarissa. “Canyon Column 2: The Introduction of a Restoration Strategy in 1999 .” The Reed College Quest, 16 Oct. 2020, reedquest.org/articles/2020/10/16/canyon-column-2-the-introduction-of-a-restoration-strategy-in-1999?rq=canyon.
O'Connor, Dennis, and Kendra Smith. “Reed College.” Reed College Canyon Enhancement Strategy - Non-Native Species Management, Reed College, 19 Nov. 1999, www.reed.edu/canyon/rest/enhancement/nonnatives.html.
Perry, Zac. “Reed Canyon Ecology Lecture.” Reed College. 1 Sept. 2021, Portland, Oregon.
C, Rachel. “What Does Canyon Crew Do.” Reed College Canyon Blog, 22 July 2011, blogs.reed.edu/reed_canyon/2011/07/what-does-canyon-crew-do/. Accessed 6 Sept. 2021.
Henderson, Hayden. “Reed's Pesticide Use Down to One Gallon Per Year.” The Reed College Quest, 27 Sept. 2019, reedquest.org/articles/2019/9/27/reeds-pesticide-use-down-to-one-gallon-per-year?rq=canyon.
Lam, Clarissa. “Canyon Column 2: The Introduction of a Restoration Strategy in 1999 .” The Reed College Quest, 16 Oct. 2020, reedquest.org/articles/2020/10/16/canyon-column-2-the-introduction-of-a-restoration-strategy-in-1999?rq=canyon.
O'Connor, Dennis, and Kendra Smith. “Reed College.” Reed College Canyon Enhancement Strategy - Non-Native Species Management, Reed College, 19 Nov. 1999, www.reed.edu/canyon/rest/enhancement/nonnatives.html.
Perry, Zac. “Reed Canyon Ecology Lecture.” Reed College. 1 Sept. 2021, Portland, Oregon.
