by Nature Areas Committee

CAS was recently awarded the Organization of the Year for Invasive Plant Control from the Missouri Invasive Plant Council! This prestigious award recognizes all of the hard work our Nature Areas Committee and volunteers conduct through the year. Visiting CANS and Wild Haven that have active exotic species management programs ongoing is certainly different from visiting other nature areas in Columbia and throughout Missouri that do not have active programs. Congratulations to CAS for this prestigious honor! -Allison Vaughn, Editor

Below is the nomination:

Columbia Audubon Society owns two properties:  Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary (28 acres) and Wild Haven Nature Area (102 acres).  Both properties are actively managed for habitat improvement and for the ongoing removal of invasive species.  The removal efforts have spanned over a decade at both locations.  The primary invasives being targeted are bush honeysuckle and autumn olive.  In both instances the removal efforts continue as new seedlings continue to sprout due to infestations on neighboring properties and birds depositing seeds in their droppings.

Each year’s work encourages continuing efforts as habitat improvement becomes ever more noticeable.  Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary has benefitted from the removal of over 90% of the bush honeysuckle.  Remarkable!  Attention is now focused on other less prominent invasives such as burning bush, common mullein, garlic mustard, and multi-flora rose.  The removal of invasives on the Audubon owned property stands in stark contrast to neighboring properties chocked with invasives.  Audubon demonstrates what is possible with sustained effort.

One of the ongoing struggles Audubon volunteers are coping with is in the 15-acre grassland restoration on abutting city owned Bonnie View NS and adjoining Columbia Audubon NS.  That is Sericea lespedeza.  Volunteers continue to search out this noxious invasive to spot spray before it flowers and sets seed.

The second property, Wild Haven Nature Area is a much larger acreage.  The primary invasive on this property is autumn olive.  The autumn olive is concentrated in the areas that have experienced the most degradation and disturbance.  This fact helps Audubon members to concentrate their removal efforts for the biggest impact.

In addition to removing invasives, both Audubon owned properties have benefitted from grassland restoration efforts.  Replacement of fescue with native wild flowers, grasses and forbs has attracted pollinators and birds.  Both properties have benefitted from prescribed fire which helps control invasives and the encroachment of woody species into the restored grasslands.

Columbia Audubon Society is also an active participant in Columbia’s Adopt-a-Trail program.  Columbia Audubon has adopted a quarter mile segment of Scott’s Branch Trail along the south side of city owned Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary and Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary.  The bush honeysuckle has been removed along with other invasives (autumn olive and Callery pear).  A few segments of the trail heavily infested with bush honeysuckle have had bare ground replanted with native dogwood, hazelnut, fragrant sumac, and ninebark seedlings.  A 10-foot by 10-foot patch of teasel was also identified and removed with no regrowth in 4 years.

 

The most difficult part of removing invasive species is taking the first step.  In some cases, the job ahead seems insurmountable.  Once begun, removal takes on a life of its own.  Each season’s removal efforts build on previous work.  There is light at the end of the tunnel once the work begins.

Thank you for your consideration of this nomination for the MoIP Invasive Plant Action Awards on behalf of an Organization (Columbia Audubon Society).

Columbia Audubon Society is the recipient of the Invasive Plant Action Award for 2025 for an organization by the Missouri Invasive Plant Council

 

* Missouri Invasive Plant Council