89 



desirable for maximizing reproduction). Also, the exposed roots of the pines trapped 

 and entangled adult sea turtles when they came ashore to nest. 



In 1985, The Nature Conservancy decided to take an aggressive approach to the 

 restoration of the Blowing Rocks Preserve. From 1985-87 TNC staff, volunteers and 

 contractors used cham saws, land clearing equipment, herbicides for stump treat- 

 ments and an on-site incinerator to clear the dune area of exotics and prepare it 

 for restoration with natives. When completed, fourteen acres of Australian pine and 

 Brazilian pepper iSchinus terebinthifolius) had been cleared, leaving 35 additional 

 acres on the western half of the island to be cleared and restored at a later date. 



Because of the invasiveness of Australian pine, Brazilian pepper and other exotic 

 species, cleared areas must quickly be revegetated to prevent re-invasion. This is 

 an important point to remember for any management activity which seeks to control 

 invasive species. In 1987, more than 50,000 native plants were installed on the 

 cleared fourteen acre site to begin the restoration process. The site was monitored 

 to ensure successful establishment of the native species and quick removal of any 

 emerging exotics. This level of vigilance was and still is important, since an Aus- 

 tralian pme can establish quickly, increasing in height by fifteen feet per year and 

 producing over 10,000 wind-borne seeds annually. 



Costs associated with the restoration from 1985-88 were $252,707, which includes 

 clearing, removal, plantings and irrigation. These figures do not include staff time, 

 operating expenses or the value of the volunteer labor. 



In 1990, the preserve began to document the volunteer hours spent on the restora- 

 tion effort. According to the Preserve's records, since 1990, 1,810 volunteers have 

 worked 8,021 hours on the project. The hours contributed to this project by volun- 

 teers are valued at $114,700 ($14.30/hour based on information from 1,000 Points 

 of Light Foundation). In addition, the Preserve added a volunteer coordinator and 

 restoration coordinator in 1991 for an additional cumulative expense to date of 

 $111,360. A quick synthesis of all this information shows that since 1985 The Con- 

 servancy has spent approximately $34,198/acre on restoration and management at 

 the Preserve. 



The Florida Chapter is committed to maintaining the biological integrity of the 

 restored area and to continue the restoration on othe^- parts of the Preserve. The 

 restoration effort will extend over the next 10 years. To remove Australian pine 

 while preserving native understory will cost between $10,000 and $20,000/acre de- 

 pending on the amount of existing native vegetation. Nursery operating costs (ex- 

 cluding labor) are approximately $10,000/year. Rescuing and transplanting native 

 trees from development sites or nurseries will cost between $500 and $1000/tree. 

 These figures provide insight into the financial cost and human energy required to 

 manage invasive non-native species and restore native species. 



Aravaipa Creek, Arizona — 



A Partnership to Save Threatened Species 



The Nature Conservancy will be unsuccessful in its management efforts if we nar- 

 rowly focus our attention inside our preserve boundaries. One glaring reality associ- 

 ated with exotic species is that successful management will depend on coordinated 

 action. Since plants and animals do not respect property or political boundaries it 

 is imperative that land managers work together toward common management goals. 

 Efforts to manage exotic species must engage the human and financial resources of 

 others and develop a comprehensive strategy for both public and private land. 



A good example of the cooperation that is needed to tackle tough management 

 problems can be found along Aravaipa Creek in Arizona. The Nature Conservancy 

 owns land along the Creek which brackets a Bureau of Land Management Wilder- 

 ness Area. The area provides critical habitat for seven native fish; two which are 

 federally threatened (the loach minnow (Tiaroga cobitis) and spikedace {Meda 

 fulgida)), and one which is a candidate for listing (the roundtailed chub (Gila 

 robusta). One of the biggest threats to the fish is the aggressive, non-native red 

 shiner {Cyprinella lutrensis). 



In 1990, the red shiner first appeared in Aravaipa Creek. The Nature Conser- 

 vancy in cooperation with the Desert Fish Recovery Team, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

 Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and Arizona Fish and 

 Game decided to initiate intensive monitoring of the Creek to determine the extent 

 of the problem as well as to learn more about the impact of the red shiner. The Con- 



servancy is in the third year of a 5 year cooperative agreement with BLM to provide 

 a match of up to $10,000 annually to cover the cost of the monitoring effort. In addi- 

 tion, we are working with our partners *" •-- '■^- ^ — ^i-m:^- -^ 



physical barriers to prevent upstream mc 



Hawaii — A Case Example of Cooperation 



