Commander Ben and Ms. Jessica Strickland ready to hunt invasive species during SXSW Eco
I had a great adventure on Thursday when I joined Ms. Jessica Strickland, Invasive Species Program Manager at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, to help map the location of invasive plants along Waller Creek.
The special SXSW Eco “Green Army” event began at the Congress Avenue Kayaks building located at the end of Trinity Street in downtown Austin. The building is on Lady Bird Lake (Town Lake) and Waller Creek. All the participants for the event gathered here before we headed out on our adventures. Mr. Justin Murrill, Global Sustainability Manager for AMD and coordinator of the event, welcomed us all and explained the importance of volunteer efforts like this to help keep Austin beautiful.
Commander Ben and Mr. Justin Murrill, Global Sustainability Manager for AMD at SXSW Eco Green Army Event
Some people were going to clean up the trash in the creek, others were going to make seed balls (which were going to be donated to Bastrop State Park to help replant their area after last years wildfires), and others—including me—were going to identify invasive species for future removal or containment projects.
Ms. Strickland and I found many invasive plants along Waller Creek including:
- Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense)
Video with Chinese Privet: Insurgent Chinese Privet Attempts Invasive Species Comeback - Elephant Ear (Colocasia esculenta)
Video with Elephant Ear: In an Ecesis Far, Far Away - English Ivy (Hedera helix)
Video with English Ivy: Tea Time with English Ivy - Giant Reed (Arundo donax) My nemesis!
Video with Giant Reed: An Invasive Carol (Special Christmas Edition!) - Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)
- Johnson Grass (Sorghum halepense)
- King Ranch Bluestem (aka KR Bluestem – Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica)
Video with King Ranch Bluestem: The Amazing Invasive Hunter Man - Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Pictures from the SXSW Eco Invasive Species Mapping
Photographing invasive plants against a white background makes them easier to identify later.
A photographer from the Austin American-Statesman snaps a picture of our tactical reports.
Invasive English Ivy begins to suffocate a tree along Waller Creek.
King Ranch Bluestem (KR Bluestem) at our feet. Unfortunately, you can find them all over Texas, especially on roadsides.
A close up of KR Bluestem. Alas. Their seeds spread easily.
Can you spot the Elephant Ear on Waller Creek?
You can run Elephant Ear, but you can’t hide!
Super villian team up: Elephant Ear next to Heavenly Bamboo
Here I am mapping Johnson Grass. Humm. For amount, where can I circle “beaucoup”?
I sense a disturbance in the ecosystem. Is the Giant Reed trying to sneak up on me again?
We had a nice audience of turtles during our great day of mapping!
All in all it was a great day!
Your friend,
Ben
Commander Ben 