extensive wetlands. The dominant tree is Populus acuminata 

 (lance-leaved Cottonwood). The understory of the woods is 

 either shrubby, dominated in dryer areas by Eleagnus 

 commutatus (silverberry) , Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain 

 juniper) , and Symphoricarpos (snowberry) , and in wetter areas 

 by Cornus sericea (dogwood) and Salix lutea (willow) , or open, 

 dominated by introduced grasses and legumes. Species 

 represented in these open understories and in the small 

 meadows include Agropyron cristatum (crested wheatgrass) , 

 Bromus inermis (smooth brome) , Elymus hispidus (intermediate 

 wheatgrass) , Elymus repens (quackgrass) , Medicago sativa 

 (alfalfa) , Melilotus alba and M. officinale (sweetclovers) . 

 Weeds in these habitats include Centaurea maculosa (spotted 

 knapweed) , Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle) , Cyanoglossum 

 officinale (houndstoungue) , Glycyrrhiza lepidota (licorice), 

 Lactuca seriola (prickly lettuce) , Sisymbrium loeselii (tumble 

 mustard) , Sonchus uliginosus (sowthistle) , Tanacetum vulgare 

 (tansy) , Tragopogon dubius (salsify) , and Verbascum thapsus 

 (mullein) . The low wetlands are dominated by native plants 

 including shrubs, Cornus stolonifera (dogwood) and Salix 

 exigua (willow) , grasses, Phalaris arundinacea (canary 

 reedgrass) and Phragmites australis (common reed) , rushes, 

 Juncus balticus , and cattails, Typha latifolia. Conium 

 maculatum (poison hemlock) is the most common weed in the 

 wetlands. Although no MPSSC are suspected at this site, the 

 wetlands are a high quality native habitat which should not be 

 disturbed; however, weed control is appropriate in the 

 disturbed woods and meadow areas. 



Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State Park 



The habitat of this park is inherently weedy due to 

 constant rodent disturbance. Weed control is, therefor, 

 probably futile except for spot treatment around picnic tables 

 and along the road and trails. The prairie dogs themselves 

 keep the weeds down by using them as a food source. Chemicals 

 which might be poisonous to the wildlife (at all levels of the 

 food chain) at this site should be avoided. The dominant 

 native plant species around the dog diggings is Artemesia 

 frigida (fringed sage) . Weeds observed include Arctium minus 

 (burdock) , Bromus tectorum (downy brome) , Carduus nutans (musk 

 thistle) , Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle) , Convulvulus 

 arvensis (field bindweed), Glycyrrhiza lepidota (licorice), 

 Hyoscyamos niger (henbane) , Verjbena bracteata (prostrate 

 vervain) , and VerJbascum thapsus (mullein) . On the hills to 

 the east of the prairie dog colony is relatively undisturbed 

 native vegetation dominated by shrubs including Artemesia 

 tridentata (big sagebrush) , Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky 

 Mountain juniper) , Prunus virginiana (chokecherry) , and Rhus 

 trilobata (skunkbrush) , and bluebunch wheatgrass, Elymus 

 spicatus. Although the potential for MPSSC in this habitat is 

 low, there is a high diversity of native plants and relatively 



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