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Summer weeding can feel overwhelming and tedious, even in a small <br /> garden. The seasonal wetlands maintenance crew of Parks and Open <br /> Space spent the last three months weeding several hundred acres of <br /> wetland prairie in West Eugene. And they did it cheerfully. <br /> Though weeding may not be glamorous work, this crew takes pride in <br /> their contributions toward helping our community preserve, restore and <br /> protect valuable natural areas. This large -scale weeding effort is a major <br /> factor in wetland mitigation. The transformation of weed and debris <br /> covered fields into high quality wetland prairies provides benefits for the <br /> environment as well as business through streamlined permitting. <br /> Crew members must be expertly trained in plant identification in order to <br /> distinguish seedling weeds from the native species which were replanted <br /> in the wetlands. Because of the massive land area, crews must also be <br /> able to prioritize the removal of the species that represent the largest <br /> threats. They use a variety of techniques to eradicate the weeds. Their <br /> toolbox includes solarization, tilling, weed wrenching, hand weeding, and <br /> other methods. The use of a variety of techniques for control of a weed <br /> or pest is called integrated pest management and is the way City staff <br /> minimize the use of herbicides. <br /> The initial phases of this project to restore the site will require several <br /> years of ongoing maintenance to keep exotic species from reestablishing. <br /> For more information about the project, contact Jesse Cary- Hobbs, parks <br /> specialist, at 682 -4843. <br /> # ## <br /> Wetlands Crews "Cook" Invasive Weeds <br /> The Parks and Open Space Natural Resource Maintenance crew is <br /> covering more than one and a half acres of wetlands in the West Eugene <br /> Wetlands with plastic sheeting this summer in an effort to more effectively <br /> eradicate pervasive, non - native wetland weeds, such as reed <br /> canarygrass, and restore species native to this wet prairie habitat. The <br /> clear plastic covering is the final step in the innovative, non - toxic, weed <br /> control technique called solarization. Solarization is one of many <br /> techniques used by parks crews to control highly invasive weeds in <br /> Eugene's parks and natural areas. <br /> Each June, the solarization process begins by mowing the grass and <br /> weeds, which can grow up to five feet tall. Crews then till the ground to <br /> loosen aggressive root masses and otherwise disrupt the root system of <br /> the weeds. A small tractor with wide rubber tracks allows the soil to be <br /> turned with minimal damage to the native plant community surrounding <br /> the weed population. <br />