Sul Ross State University
A Member of the Texas State University System

Saltcedar Field Day

September 10, 2008

If you want to learn more about a cost-effective way to safely control the salt cedar invading theriversand streams of the Chihuahuan Desert please come join us on September 10. We will be co-hosting a Field Day on Biological Control of Tamarisk in collaboration with local ranchers and scientists from the Temple Agricultural Research Laboratory of the USDA.

The day will begin with a briefing in the Presidio Texas Chamber of Commerce office, located at 202 O'Reilly St, and then continuing with visits to control sites on several ranches along the Rio Grande west of Presidio, near Candelaria. For more info contact Mark Donet at mark.donet@tx.usda.gov.

This is an education and public outreach component of the La Junta Saltcedar Control Project now in its second year with support from the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative(GLCI)of the US Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, the World Wildfire Fund and participating private ranchers and landowners.

The La Junta project is seeking to drastically reduce infestations of salt cedar along the Rio Grande border by establishing a self-sustaining and gradually expanding colony of Diorhabda elongata beetles. These tiny insects are the natural predators that co-exist with salt cedar(AKA Tamarisk or Tamarix) in the Near- East, keeping infestations of that aggressive plant under control though defoliation. Their presence in eco-systems explains why salt cedar infestations are so uncommon in the plant's Eurasian and Mediterranean native habitat.

Following extensive study of the symbiotic relationship betwee the plants and insects across the world scientifically controlled field experiments in the US the USDA has obtained permission to release and monitor beetles in the field as a safe and appropriate control strategy for areas infested with salt cedar in the western U.S. Over recent years great success with this biological control approach has been recorded along streams in Nevada, Utah, and Colorado as well as on creeks near Big Spring Texas.

In 2006 the Rio Grande Institute(RGI) was awarded a grant from the GLCI program for work with private ranchers along the La Junta stretch of the Rio Grande to control their salt cedar problems; that grant was supplemented by another from the World Wildlife Fund and contributions of interested landowners. RGI's partner in conceiving and implementing the La Junta project is the Chihuahuan Desert Resource Conservation and Development Area(CDRCDA). After comparing the costs and potential benefits of available control strategies and consulting with a specially created Scientific Advisory Committee the La Junta project adopted a biological control strategy that will follow an approach similar to that employed on ranches near Big Spring, east of Midland Texas.

With help from USDA/ARS field staff La Junta is now in its second summer of efforts to establish a viable colony of beetles in salt cedar groves near Candelaria. It is still too soon to report success but marked progress can be seen. We are prepared to share the vision and experience of the La Junta project with you if you wish to join us September 10th.

During the briefing at the Chamber office and Field Day on the ranches Dr. Jack DeLoach of USDA/ARS and Mark Donet of CDRCDA/NRCS will explain how the project is proceeding and take participants to see breeding cages, the areas where beetles have been released into the open fields and the complex relationship that plays out between the plants and the beetles as well as how other variables such as flooding, heat and predator ants can effect the process.

Valuable information will be provided as well by participating experts on monitoring beetle dispersion and defoliation levels as well as collateral surveys on plant and bird life of the area. Those attending the La Junta Field Day will travel together and share a picnic lunch provided by RGI. Everyone should keep in mind that they will probably be exposed to extreme heat, bright sunshine, and some fierce mosquitos, so plan accordingly.

This will be a rewarding experience for all who wish to better understand what is involved in starting a biological control project. If anyone wishes to spend an extra day to see the impact of an established salt cedar beetle colony another Field Day will be held on September 11th in Big Spring, hosted by the USDA/ARS Temple Labs. For information on attending that event you can contact Jack DeLoach at (254)770-6531 or email him at JDELOACH@spa.ars.usda.gov.

We hope you can join us on the Rio Grande and see what is happening at La Junta.