Employees from Google’s Durham office recently joined several Duke Forest Staff and Forest Steward volunteers for a service event as part of their global “GoogleServe” campaign. The group learned how to identify non-native Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) and spent a hot couple of hours combing through the forest, cutting out the invasive species within a Registered Natural Heritage Area. Our field staff will follow up with targeted herbicide application to push back the spread of this species.
The non-native, invasive Autumn Olive was introduced to the United States in the 1800s to control erosion, serve as windbreaks on farms, and provide a food source for wildlife. As is often the case with introduced species, Autumn Olive proved resistant to native parasites and pests and spread quickly. It thrives in disturbed areas, even with poor soil, and in full-sun to part-shade conditions. Autumn Olive shrubs can reach 20 feet in height and produce up to 80 pounds of berries annually, resulting in the production of hundreds of thousands of tiny seeds each year. Thus, cutting Autumn Olive plants before they fruit can effectively slow their spread, but it is important to note that this type of treatment must be followed up with an herbicide application to prevent resprouting.
Thank you to the Googlers for their hard work in helping us protect the biodiversity of the Forest!