Spitler Woods Garlic Mustard
Treatment
Decatur,
IL |
|
In April 2009 and 2010 we traveled to Decatur, Illinois to
spray garlic mustard that is invading the Spitler Woods State Natural Area.
In 2009 we sprayed 60 acres of the 146 acre
forest.
We returned in 2010 for another
50 acres and will complete the remaining 36
acres in 2011.
Below: A
picture of Spitler Woods, with its numerous
forbs, flowers and grasses. 
Spitler Woods is named for its previous
care taker, Ida B. Spitler, who cared for
and managed the site until 1937, when she
donated it to the state. To this day the
forest is a remnant of what once covered
east-central Illinois, in large part to Ida
Sp itler's
love for nature and conservation. She
allowed no hunting or harvesting while she
owned the land, creating a haven for many
birds and animals. The understory of the
forest is covered with many wildflowers and
forbs creating a unique preserve not
commonly found today.
 |
|
|
A garlic mustard rosette.
This plant would have gone to seed this
year.
Chris sprays both rosettes and
seedlings as he walks through Spitler
Woods.
|
|
Chris and Ryan carefully walk the forest to
search for garlic mustard rosettes and
seedlings.
Below are treated garlic mustard
seedlings. The herbicide is mixed with a
blue dye to avoid over-spraying and
non-target kills.
 |
|
A
garlic mustard leaf is similar to the violet
in appearance. But notice the obvious veins
in the leaf that look like wrinkled skin.
|
Ryan and Chris stop in front a a giant
sycamore tree in the bottoms of Spitler
Woods. |
|
