Integrated Pest Prevention in Buffers

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- [Narrator] Whether it's weeds, insects, rodents or deer, managing pests in your buffer can mean the difference between a future forest or a weedy mess.

In this video we will be discussing a variety of pest prevention strategies for your buffer.

The key to integrated pest management is to identify and understand what pests are present and what management techniques help to control them.

Common buffer pests fall under several categories including weeds, insects, rodents and more.

Take some time to scout your site and learn what pests are present or could be present in your buffer.

Those pests could include old weeds in the soil, invasive bugs on your trees or other pests common to your region.

A few questions you might want to ask include do your buffer weeds produce thousands of seeds to reproduce or sprout from root suckers, could insect pests be present in larval stages that are easier to deal with now rather than when they emerge as adults, are the rodents in your buffer using your tall weeds for nesting and shelter, is the deer pressure too high or are there other pests impacting the health of your buffer.

Understanding how your buffer pests grow, feed and reproduce can help you create a plan specific to your buffer's needs.

The most effective maintenance strategies come from having a good plan from the start.

Protect your buffer with proper site preparation by clearing the area of preexisting pests and by establishing a desirable native seed bed in the soil.

This can include applying herbicides prior to planting and as part of your maintenance routine.

Sometimes instead of herbicide you can also use well-grated crushed rock or other weed barriers around your trees to reduce weed growth and rodent access.

Using tree tubes also gives your trees an added layer of protection.

They guard small seedlings from deer browse and rodents and also make it easier to apply herbicides right up to the tree without spraying the tree itself.

Spraying any kind of pesticide requires mixing your ingredients safely.

Remember to always read the pesticide label before mixing and always determine the appropriate application rate before spraying any chemicals.

Don't forget to wear appropriate protective equipment and safeguard against spilling any chemicals which can impact the environment and create a human health hazard.

The best way to spray herbicides will be determined by your available equipment and the size of your buffer.

Backpack sprayers are relatively cheap and easy to use for many land owners.

They also offer flexibility in choosing whether an area might need to be sprayed selectively to save certain desirable species.

A backpack sprayer also makes it easy to apply herbicides at each tree tube to kill competing weeds.

It is important to control your application rate and follow label instructions.

By spraying six by six foot squares at each tree tube, you can easily calculate the total area of application and the concentration of herbicide you will need.

Killing weeds around your tree tubes will help reduce plant competition as well as keep rodents from making a home in the base of your tubes.

Strip spraying is useful if the trees have been planted in rows and if larger equipment is available.

Strip spraying can be effective in a very large buffer as you can cover more ground quickly using a tank on a tractor or four wheeler.

Strip spraying does require the use of more herbicide and can lead to herbicide resistance in weeds, taking over the bare soil areas created.

Those strips can also become channels for erosion if not carefully managed.

Another simple way to suppress plant competition for the first four to five years of your buffer is to mow between trees.

This can help to control weeds before they drop new seeds.

It also discourages rodents who don't like to spend time in open areas.

Keep in mind that mowing will have to end once the buffer is established to allow trees to naturalize the area into a forest.

With good canopy cover, the mature trees will shade out many invasive weeds and create a habitat that troublesome rodents won't like.

If you have any additional questions about riparian buffer maintenance or you are interested in learning more, you can find a full series of videos and FAQ sheets on the Penn State Extension website.

Just search for growing great buffers.